11  the  Baldwin,”  of  San  Francisco.  The  finest  Hotel  In  the  World.  Cost  over  $3,500,000  In  construction. 


PICTURESQUE 


ARIZONA. 

Being  the  Result  of  Travels  and  Observations  in  Arizona 
During  the  Fall  and  Winter  of  1877. 


By  E.  CONKLIN, 

Representative  of  the  National  Associated  Press  and  Artist  and  Correspondent  of 
Frank  Leslie's  Publications. 


ILLUSTRATED  BY  THE 
Continent  Stereoscopic  Company , of  New  York, 
PUBLISHERS, 

No.  60  Nassau  Street. 


$eu;  ¥orLfc : 

the  mining  record  printing  establishment, 
No.  61  BROADWAY 

1878. 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1878, 

By  E.  Conklin, 

the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.C. 


EI^ECTROTTPED  BY 

CRUM  k R I N G L E R , 


TO  THE 


I’ionws  and  JronticrstufB  at  my  Country, 

WHOM  I HAVE  LEABNED  TO  HOLD  IX  HIGH  ESTEEM, 


THIS  BOOK  IS  RESPECTFULLY  DEDICATED 


By  the  Author. 


PREFACE. 


My  book  is  a preface  to  Arizona. 

Let  those  who  would  know  my  “ Preface”  read  my 
book. 

The  Author  here  acknowledges  valuable  aid  and  cur- 
tisies  in  gaining  information  for  this  book  to  the  follow- 
ing named  persons  : — 

Ex.  Gov.  A.  P.  K.  Salford  of  Arizona  ; Col.  J.  D. 
Graham,  of  the  Toltec  Syndicate  of  mines,  San  Fran- 
cisco ; Col.  R.  J.  Hinton,  of  the  Evening  Post , San  Fran- 
cisco, California  ; Col.  Wm  G.  Boyle  and  Dr.  II.  R. 
Allen,  of  the  Aztec  Mining  Company  ; Lieut.  Geo.  M. 
Wheeler  of  United  States  Corps  of  Engineers  ; Major 
J.  W.  Powell,  of  the  United  States  Geological  and  Geo 
graphical  Surveys  ; George  Tyng,  Editor  of  the  Yuma 
Sentinel. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 

Return  to  San  Francisco— The  allurements  of  the  “ Baldwin  ’’—The  Invita- 
tion  from  the  Aztec  Mining  Company— The  Preparations— Whiskey 
Looking-glasses,  and  Starched  Shirts— Interviewed  at  the  Depot— The 
Scene  from  Oakland page  17 


CHAPTER  II. 

Off  for  Arizona— Scenes  on  the  way— The  Livermore  Valley— Yosemite— 
The  Great  Tehachapi  Pass— The  Orange  Districts— Across  the  Desert  to 
Fort  Yuma . . page  25 


CHAPTER  III. 

My  Arrival  at  Yuma — Description  of  the  Town — Its  Former  History— The 
Coming  Sanitarium— Dr.  Loryea’s  Opinion— The  Railroad  Enterprise — 
Its  Vicissitudes— A Watchful  Guardian  of  the  Night— Lo!  the  poor 
Indian page  38 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Arrival  of  the  Aztec  Mining  Company— The  Denizens  of  Yuma— We 
break  our  fast — The  Excitement  over  our  mules— The  Yosemite  ” 
and  “Thorough-bred  ! ” page  56 


CHAPTER  V. 

Arizona,  the  Future  Country  of  the  Student,  and  the  Husbandman— The 
Fertile  Valleys  of  the  Plain — The  Unique  Barrenness  of  the  Desert— 
Sunday  morning  at  Ehrenberg— The  Mojave  Indians— The  Mountain 
Panorama  Scenes.  page  70 


10 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Gila  City — A Frontier  Hotel — Taking  the  Census — Celestial  Phenomena — 
Meditation — A Setting  Sun  in  Arizona 84 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Mirage— A City  not  Built  with  Hands— Onward  from  Gila— The  Sagu- 
ara— The  Sturdy  Sentinel  of  the  Plain— The  Mesquite— The  Palo-verde 
— A Desert  rife  with  Growth 101 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

A Desert  which  is  not  all  Desert— From  Dos  Palms  to  Prescott— Sensations 
on  the  Desert— A Southern  Moon — Sand  Storms— A City  of  the  Desert — 
Breathing  Air— Silver  Threads  and  Golden  Nuggets 116 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Mining  Capital  in  Arizona, — The  “ McCracken  The  Hannibal  The 

Stonewall  Jackson”— The  Great  Prospectors,  McMillen  and  Flournoy — 
“Dead  Broke” — Cinnabar,  Copper,  and  Tin — Arizona  I why  so  long 
lain  mute  ? 130 


CHAPTER  X. 

Narratives  of  early  Arizona— Bloody  Deeds  and  the  Apaches— Eskimenzen 
—Cochise— Witchcraft— Habits  of  life—  lieform— Who  is  to  blame  ?...149 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Ehrenberg— A lonely  “ Village  of  the  Plain” — Painful  Thoughts— Corona- 
tion Peak — The  Goddess  of  the  Valley — No  Endowment  Policy — Interest, 
Contrast,  and  Beauty — To  the  Land  of  Hemp,  Cotton  and  Rice 168 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Antelope  Peak  -A  Night’s  Companion—”  Lone  Peaks  ”— A Gold  Story— 
Oatman’s  Flat— Froight  Trains  of  the  Desert— Pedros  Pintardos 181 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  Salt  River  Valley— Lost  on  a Desert—”  Happy  Camp”  -A  Dollar  Drink 
— Water,  tweuty-flve  cents— The  Bed  in  the  Manger — Mule,  versus  Man 
—Important  Considerations— Montezuma  or  Washington,  Which  . .207 


CONTENTS. 


11 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  Indian— The  Pimo — The  Maricopa— The  Papago — The  Zunl— The 
Moqui— The  Apacho— Their  Diversity 223 


CHAPTER  XV. 

The  Zuni  and  Moqui — The  Model  American  Indian — Their  Villages— Mod© 
of  Life — Morals — Rebecca  at  the  Well — Games  and  Pastimes — A Sacred 
Rite— Shrewdness — Hospitality 239 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  Moqui  and  Zunl,  continued— Their  Dress— Manufactures— Govern- 
ment— The  Seven  Cities  of  Cibola— The  Ark,  again — A present  from 
President  Lincoln — That  Persistent  Mission — Major  Powell’s  Descrip- 
tion  .• 256 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

The  Antiquity  of  these  Indians — Arizona’s  Vicissitudes — Conquered  at  last 
— America’s  Dark  Ages — A Costly  Bonfire — Prescott— Humboldt — Ban- 
croft—To  the  Land  of  Ancient  Lore  by  Rail! 275 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


The  Great  Casa  Grande — Impressions — A Palace,  Castle,  or  What — A Bil- 
lowy Sea  of  Green — Tho  Puzzle  of  Puzzles 281 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Florence — Its  Uniqueness — Anxiety  for  Col.  Graham — False  Alarm — Mod- 
ern Ruins — Tho  Old  Mission  Buildings — San  Xavier  Del  Bac 292 


CHAPTER  XX. 

The  Tolling  of  a Contrite  Bell — The  Knell  of  Parting  Power — Alone  with 
the  Spirits  of  Centuries— Tubac — The  Mission  Ruins  of  Saint  Joseph— 
Tumacacori — The  Santa  Cruz  Valley 302 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Leaving  Tubac — The  Nineveh  of  America — Silver  lined  and  Verdure  clad — 
The  Dawn  of  Arizona — Bold  Mountain  Scenery — The  Santa  Ritas— 
Their  Mines ’ 308 


12 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

The  El  Picachos— The  Land  of  Massacres- -Cochise — Mountain  Cavern— A 
Talking  Mines— A Dream  of  Waterfalls,  Valleys,  Canyons,  and  Caves. 

314 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

The  Meeting  of  the  Mountains— Arizona’s  Natural  Wonders— The  Micro- 
cosm of  the  World — The  Colorado — Its  Canyons — Its  Plateaus— Its  Ca- 
prices—A Home  for  the  Repeater— The  Indian  Guides  of  the  Colorado— 
— A River  that  tells  no  Tales 322 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Remarkable  Ruins  in  Southern  Arizona— The  Founders  of  the  Aztec  and 
Toltec  Syndicates  of  mines — The  Grandest  Pecuniary  Success  on 
Record— The  “Bollas  De  Plata”  (Balls  of  Silver)— Col.  J.  D.  Graham. 

336 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


From  Camp  Apache,  Northeast — A Land  full  of  interest — A Great  Agricul- 
tural and  Mineral  Belt  Combined 350 


CHATTER  XXVI. 

My  Departure  from  Tucson— Admonitions — The  Jehus  cf  the  Plain— Ben 
Hill — Mind  and  Matter — A Tale  of  Love  and  Woe — All  for  Gold— The 
Highwayman 355 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Spirit  of  the  Desert — The  Author  Robbed— Penniless— The  Meeting  of 
McMillen  and  Josiah  Fournoy— The  Proverbial  Sympathy  of  the 
Pioneer 366 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGK. 

“ The  Baldwin”  of  San  Francisco Frontispiece 

Red  Rock  Pass  on  the  Colorado  River  above  Yuma— The  Chimney 

Peaks  In  the  distance  14 

A Scene  in  the  Orange  Groves  of  E.  J.  Baldwin,  Esq 33 

Indians  taking  their  Sun-bath  at  Yuma 43 

An  Indian  Belle  of  the  Yuma  Indians 49 

Indian  Group 53 

Getting  ready  for  a prospecting  tour 60 

An  Indian  in  town 64 

An  Indian  watching  the  approach  of  Emigrants  on  the  plains  of  Arizona . 72 

A Mojave  Indian  Chief  at  Ehrenberg 76 

Mojave  Indians  at  Ehrenberg  taking  their  Sunday  walk 80 

Map  of  the  ancient  province  of  Tusayan,  Arizona 83 

An  Indian  Warrior 87 

Prescott 91 

Tucson 97 

Valley  of  Santa  Cruz,  (From  Hinton’s  Iland-Book  of  Arizona) 103 

The  Proposed  Hotel  and  Plaza  at  Calabasas  Valley  of  Santa  Cruz Ill 

A Miner’s  vicissitudes  in  Arizona 136 

Charles  McMillen  and  Josiah  Flournoy  140 

Ready  for  a Scalp 152 

An  Apache  Chief 160 

An  Apache  Squaw  and  Papoose 101 

The  City  of  Ehrenberg— Looking  up  the  Colorado  Riv^r— Indians  at  play  1C9 

A Mojave  Indian  and  boy  at  Ehrenberg 173 

A View  of  the  Colorado  at  Yuma 177 

“ Lone  Peaks,”  on  the  road  from  Ehrenberg  to  Prescott 1F3 

A Midnight  Camp  of  the  Apaches  in  the  Pelonchillo  Mountains,  Arizona  188 


14 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE. 

Rocky  Canyons  and  Mesa  lands  of  Arizona 192 

Tlie  Continent  Stereoscopic  Company’s  Artist  “ viewing  ” in  Arizona. . . 200 

The  Painted  Rocks  (Pedros  Pintardos)  on  the  plains  of  Arizona 204 

Scene  in  the  Salt  River  Valley 207 

The  Region  of  the  Thousand  Wells,  on  a high  rocky  Mesa 209 

Just  in  from  the  desert— getting  ready  for  a good  square  meal 213 

Papago  Indian  Women  going  to  carry  hay 222 

A Maricopa  Indian  Girl  picking  berries 225 

Plmo  Indians  at  home 229 

A Squad  of  Indians  at  a game  of  cards 233 

An  Unwelcome  Visitor 238 

Mi-shong-i-ni-vi— a village  of  the  Moquls  in  North-eastern  Arizona 241 

Interior  of  an  Oraibi  house  in  the  Moqui  Villages 249 

The  Free  Indian  Girls,  An-ti-naints,  Pu-tu-su  and  Wi-chuts 253 

The  Terraced  houses  of  Oraibi  257 

Praying  for  Rain— a religious  observance  of  the  Moquis 261 

An  Indian  Hunter 268 

A Scout  of  the  Navajo’s  in  northeastern  Arizona 274 

A Navajo  Indian  Boy 277 

An  Ancient  War  dance  of  the  Apaches 279 

Ruins  of  the  Great  Casa  Grande  in  Southern  Arizona 283 

Ruins  near  the  Great  Casa  Grande . 287 

The  Mission  of  San  Xavier  dol-Bac,  located  9 miles  south  of  Tucson 297 

Old  Mission  Ruins  of  Tumacacori 303 

A Street  Scene  of  the  Adobe  Spanish  Residences 305 

Sand  stone  Formations,  found  in  the  Ravines  of  the  Santa  Rita  Moun- 
tains  318 

Butte  in  the  upper  Colorado  Canon— Colorado  River,  Arizona 325 

Marble  Canon  of  the  Colorado  River 329 

The  Great  Canon  of  the  Colorado  River,  Arizona 333 

The  “ Toltec”  mining  camp  in  the  Santa  Rita  Mountains 345 

Stage  Coach  Robbery 368 


KKf)  BOCK  PASS  ON  TIIE  COLORADO  RIVER  ABOVE  YUMA;  THE  CHIMNEY  PEAKS  IN  THE  DISTANCE. 


CHAPTER  I. 


RETURN  TO  SAN  FRANCISCO— THE  ALLUREMENTS  OF  THE  “ BALD- 
WIN ” — THE  INVITATION  FROM  THE  AZTEC  MINING  COMPANY 
— THE  PREPARATIONS — WHISKEY,  LOOKING-GLASSES  AND 
STARCHED  SHIRTS — INTERVIEWED  AT  THE  DEPOT — THE 
SCENE  FROM  OAKLAND. 

AVING  completed  my  labors  as  correspondent  of 


the  trans-continental  tour,  organized  by  Mr.  Frank 
Leslie  in  the  Spring  of  ’77,  in  the  interests  of  his 
many  publications,  I made  known  to  him  my  long 
intended  purpose  of  writing  and  illustrating  Arizona — 
the  most  interesting  of  all  our  frontier  territories. 
Long  had  this  been  a cherished  desire  of  mine,  and 
long  had  I,  in  my  many  trips  to  the  coast  kept  an 
eagle  eye  on  this  obscure,  but  wonderful  region.  As 
jealously  had  I picked  up  from  time  to  time  all  scraps 
and  hear-says  of  this  territory,  as  the  ravens  within  its 
borders  now  pick  up  the  morsels  scattered  by  travelers 


18 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


and  mining  parties.  And  now  raven-like,  I carry 
these  scraps  to  all  the  world  as  a faithful  messenger  of 
the  future  great  mineral  State  of  America. 

I returned  to  San  Francisco  and  in  August  made 
preparations  for  an  extended  tour  through  Arizona. 
No  fitter  time  had  ever  presented  itself  for  a represen- 
tation, digestion  and  general  unraveling  of  Arizona’s 
vast  resources  in  all  channels  of  human  industries,  than 
the  completion  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  to  the 
Colorado  River,  which  was  expected  to  take  place  the 
following  month.  A more  propitious  or  favorably 
auspicious  event  will  never  probably  be  known  in  the 
history  of  that  territory — except  perhaps  the  purchase 
of  the  southern  portion  of  it.  To  go  to  Arizona  here- 
tofore and  find  what  you  wanted — where  to  go,  or  how 
to  go,  reminded  one  of  that  emblematic  hay  stack  and 
its  needle.  A double  combination  of  events  have 
transpired  this  fall  which  will  be  an  era  in  the  history 
of  Arizona — the  completion  of  the  Southern  Pacific 
Railroad  on  its  way  across  the  territory,  which  takes 
you  to  this  hay  stack,  and  Col.  R.  J.  Hinton’s  Hand 
Book  and  Guide,  which  enables  the  traveler  to  unrav- 
el that  hay  stack  and  find  the  needle  when  he  is  once 
there ; and  the  object  of  this  book  is  to  show  you  the 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


19 


merits  of  your  particular  needle  wlien  found,  whether 
you  be  a miner  in  search  of  mines,  a farmer  in  search 
of  fertile  valleys,  or  a tourist  or  scientist  in  search 
of  the  beauties  or  wonders  of  nature. 

Again  in  San  Francisco,  and  the  very  recollections 
of  the  luxuries  of  its  famous  Baldwin  Hotel  seem  to 
allure  us  to  the  spot  and  already  stimulate  us  to  new 
ambition.  The  soothing  quiet  of  this  hotel  is  a mar- 
vel even  in  the  nucleus  of  the  most  brilliant  hotel 
achievements  in  the  world.  Never  was  there  a com- 
bination of  such  rare  and  rich  material  brought  togeth- 
er in  such  perfect  and  complete  harmony.  This  hotel 
is  the  most  attractive  institution  under  that  name  that 
ever  decked  American  soil.  We  feel  free  to  say  it. 
It  is  an  allurement  to  all  travelers  and  tourists  who 
have  once  seen  it. 

While  in  San  Francisco  preparing  for  a new  depar- 
ture, I received  an  invitation  from  Col.  J.  D.  Graham, 
Secretary  of  the  Aztec  Mining  Company  of  Arizona,  to 
accompany  him  and  his  party  on  an  extended  tour 
through  southern  Arizona,  to  the  mines  of  the  compa- 
ny. I appreciated  this,  knowing  that  to  the  indomitable 
pluck  and  energy  of  the  members  of  this  company, 
were  due  some  of  the  greatest  mining  enterprises  and 


20 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


achievements  in  the  territory ; and  I accepted,  knowing 
that  their  mines  lie  in  the  Santa  Eita  Mountains,  one 
of  the  richest  mining  sections  in  the  State,  and  their 
course  through  some  of  the  richest  valleys,  thereby 
affording  me  ample  facilities  for  learning  of  what  I 
would  know.  Favors,  like  crosses,  thought  I,  never 
come  singly.  So  I arranged  to  meet  the  party  subse- 
qm  ntly  at  Yuma. 

I left  San  Francisco  amid  all  the  vicissitudes  conse- 
quent upon  going  on  a big  trip.  I felt  this  spirit  of 
bigness — of  vastness,  forcing  itself  upon  me;  not  so 
much  that  the  trip  itself  was  to  be  a long  one,  but  of 
the  interest  and  importance  that  the  completion  of  the 
Southern  Pacific  Bailroad  to  Arizona  was  ushering 
into  existence.  Although  I had  plenty  of  time,  as  the 
moment  approached  for  me  to  depart,  I found  I had 
fallen  a victim  to  that  treacherous  “last  moment” 
which  had,  with  its  wonted  subtleness  crept  unawares 
upon  me,  and  like  a thief  in  the  night,  found  me 
asleep.  The  express  called  for  my  trunk;  I tried  to 
squeeze  two  seconds  into  one,  forgetting  the  lesson  in 
applied  philosophy  learned  when  young,  that  no  two 
things  could  occupy  the  same  space  at  the  same  time. 
Being  intuitively  reminded  of  this  by  some  automatic 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


21 


faculty  of  the  mind — reason  I had  none  just  then — I 
reverted  to  material  things  and  tried  to  cram  two  shirts 
into  the  place  one  should  occupy,  which  caused  me  to 
break  a bottle  of  whiskey  that  I was  taking  along  for 

the  Indians,  or  medicinal  purposes.  I was  sorry 

for  this,  because  I had  intended  if  I kept  my  health 
— and  whiskey — in  tact,  to  finally  bestow  it  upon  some 
of  my  red  brothers,  the  Arizona  Indians.  I am  a friend 
to  the  Indians. 

I rushed  frantically  about  for  something  that  would 
work  on  the  capillary  system,  to  wipe  up  the  muss. 
I seized  a towel  from  the  bureau,  and  in  turning 

m 

quickly  around,  broke  a glass  which  cost  me  ten  dol- 
lars and  fifty  cents. 

Becoming  exasperated,  and  with  a spirit  indefatiga- 
ble to  conquer,  I chucked — this  is  the  best  word  just 
here — everything  into  my  trunk  promiscuously,  re- 
solving to  remodel  things  on  the  train,  by  bribing  the 
baggage-master  to  let  me  have  access  to  it  there.  The 
express  man  got  my  trunk  and  rushed  off.  I was  too 
late  for  the  “ Bus,”  which  is  one  of  those  emblemati- 
cally punctual  institutions,  especially  when  you  hap- 
pen to  be  a few  minutes  behind.  I took  a horse- 
car.  At  the  railroad  office  I called  for  my  ticket  for 


22 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


Fort  Yuma.  I laid  down  my  fifty  dollars,  and  was  to 
have  received  eightdollars  in  change,  but  I never  knew, 
from  that  day  to  this  whether  I ever  picked  up  that  eight 
dollars  or  not;  for  at  the  utterance  of  the  words  “ Fort 
Yuma,”  I was  besieged  by  a dozen  or  more  individ- 
uals wanting  to  know  if  I was  actually  going  to  Fort 
Yuma,  and  putting  into  a score  of  other  questions  all 
the  qualifications  of  importance.  They  were  enthu- 
siastic emigrants.  They  all  wanted  to  hear  from  Fort 
Yuma;  and  no  less  than  half  a dozen  persons  wanted 
me  to  write  them  each  a private  letter  giving  them 
a full  description  of  the  great  mines  of  Arizona  and 
New  Mexico  ; and  how  I thought  turnips  would  grow 
there ; whether  the  Indians  were  as  troublesome  as 
they  had  been  in  the  Black  Hills  ; whether  cows  could 
be  milked  three  times  a day,  and  whether  jackasses 
could  be  sold  for  mules  down  there.  These  requests 
were  all  made  with  the  familiarity  of  two  strangers 
meeting  in  a foreign  land.  I promised  all  to  give  them 
the  desired  information.  I justified  my  wilful  false- 
hood by  the  satisfaction  it  afforded  them  for  the  mo- 
ment; and  I justified  my  neglect  to  subsequently 
comply  with  their  requests  from  the  fact  that  not  one 
of  them  offered  me  stamps  for  postage. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA  . 


23 


The  cause  of  a greater  ponion  of  all  my  vicissitudes 
I trace  back  to  the  allurement  I was  under  at  the 
“Baldwin.”  We  all  know  what  an  effect  pleasing 
surroundings  will  have,  to  the  neglect  of  sterner  duties, 
causing  the  mind  to  swerve  until  it  forgets  itself  and 
becomes  dilatory,  and  reason  itself  becomes  tossed  and 
cannot  at  once  find  its  equilibrium.  Oh  ! this  allure- 
ment ! Oh  ! the  infatuation  that  makes  mockery  of 
self  control.  This  fascination  that  causes  one  to  miss 
trains,  miss  everything  in  life  while  under  its  influence. 

And  yet  they  are  the  very  allurements  that  we  are 
most  willing  to  be  charmed  by.  But  we  are  really 
justified  in  them  in  exemplification  of  our  nature,  as 
explained  in  Homans  7 th  and  15th  : “For  what  I would) 
that  do  I not ; but  what  I hate,  that  do  I.” 

In  twenty  minutes  we  had  spanned  the  bay  of  San 
Francisco  to  Oakland,  where  all  passengers  for  South- 
ern California  and  Arizona  take  the  trains  of  the  Cen- 
tral Pacific  Bailroad.  Oakland  has  been  so  long  com- 
pared to  the  Brooklyn  of  New  York  in  its  proximity 
to  San  Francisco,  that  it  has  become  typical  of  it.  The 
concourse  of  people  swarming  like  bees  and  increasing 
fiom  day  to  day  as  they  are,  to  almost  incapacitated 
proportions,  makes  good  the  similitude. 


24 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


The  train  stood  waiting  at  the  Oakland  wharf  hiss- 
ing off  its  virulent  steam,  anxious  for  a start.  The 
evening  was  inexpressibly  charming,  under  the  mellow 
light  of  an  Occident  setting  sun.  I took  my  seat  in  the 
sleeping  car,  and  scanning  the  bay  of  San  Francisco, 
beheld  the  glorious  scene  which  has  become  the  em- 
blem of  the  city  ; the  pride  of  its  people ; and  the  joy 
of  the  traveler  and  tourist — a setting  sun  at  the  Golden 
Gate  ! And  I must  here  waive  the  old  adage,  not  to 
give  advice  until  one  had  been  “ thrice  asked  for  it” 
and  proffer  it  to  all  travelers,  not  to  miss  this  phan- 
tomed  halo. 


CHAPTER  II. 


OFF  FOR  ARIZONA— SCENES  ON  THE  WAY — THE  LIVERMORE  VAL- 
LEY—YOSEMITE— THE  GREAT  TEHACHAPI  PASS— THE  OR- 
ANGE DISTRICTS— ACROSS  THE  DESERT  TO  FORT  YUMA. 

Y the  time  my  spirits  had  been  mellowed  down 


into  their  accustomed  equilibrium,  the  time  had 
come  to  depart.  “ Klick-er-de-klick  ; chit-er-de-chat : 
chit-er-de-chat ; klick-er-de-klick,”  rattled  our  ladened 
train  over  the  wonderful  Meiggs  wharf  which  ex- 
tended two  and  a quarter  miles  out  across  the  bay. 
Klick-er-de-klick,  chit-er-de-chat,  rolled  our  car  wheels, 
like  the  prattle  of  a lot  of  merry  school  girls  let  loose, 
and  had  the  same  effect  of  merriment  upon  its  listen- 
ers. Then  the  old  smoke-stack  bellowed  forth, 
u Hush  ! — Hush  ! — Hush  ! — ush  ! — ush  ! — ush  ! — ush  ! 
sh,  sh,  sh,  sh,  sh,”  as  if  warning  his  charge  against 
useless  gossip,  and  admonishing  them  not  to  make 
such  a noise. 


26 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


Thus  we  sped,  twenty  miles  away,  across  the  charm- 
ing Livermore  valley — one  ol  the  chosen  spots  of  Cali- 
fornia’s richest  soils. 

If  one’s  spirits  are  in  a ruffled  state  as  mine  had 
been,  “ these  sights  and  these  sounds  ” would  prove  a 
soothing  balm. 

As  we  approached  the  end  of  this  valley, which  nar- 
rowed down  to  about  the  width  of  a good  sized  farm, 
we  felt  that  one  of  the  Eldorados  of  our  trip  had  been 
seen.  All  the  diversity  for  the  richest  rural  effects 
and  of  husbandry,  were  here  combined.  We  had  seen 
the  sweet  maiden  daughter  of  the  hardy  husbandman, 
standing  in  the  threshold  of  his  humble  cottage  ad- 
miring with  unwitting  zeal,  the  fruits  of  her  sire’s 
sturdy  arm  and  sweaty  brow.  One  charming  picture 
particularly  attracted  my  notice.  A maiden  of  some 
fourteen  Summers,  with  her  golden  hair  flowing  over 
her  shoulders,  and  a neat,  clean  pin-a-fore  clasping 
jealously  her  form,  stood  on  one  of  these  thresholds, 
breathing  the  balmy  atmosphere  from  the  mountains 
wafted  over  the  waving  corn  and  blooming  wheat, 
Irom  which  it  received  its  perfume.  As  the  train 
passed,  this  little  creature  pulled  from  a pocket  in  her 
apron  her  handkerchief,  and  wayed  it.  This  was  the 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


27 


climax  of  this  valley  scene.  Perhaps  the  handker- 
chief had  something  to  do  with  it.  We  all  know  how 
far  this  token  of  welcome,  as  a flag  of  truce,  will  put 
new  life  into  the  soul.  Behind  the  little  hamlet,  rose 
a spur  of  the  mountains,  one  peak  of  which  seemed 
the  maiden’s  special  guardian.  On  we  sped  through 
the  Canyon  ; witnessed  the  shades  of  evening  trans- 
formed into  Luna’s  night,  and  arrived  at  Merced,  the 
place  of  departure  for  the  Yosemite  valley,  just  be- 
fore midnight.  Many  left  our  train  here.  The  name 
of  Yosemite  has  not  ceased  to  allure,  nor  its  sights  to 
charm.  I was  a little  allured  myself,  but  as  the  train 
moved  on,  I contented  myself  by  reciting  the  lines 
contributed  to  fair  Tissaack’s  abode  while  with  the 
Leslie  party,  when  we  were  there  in  the  Spring.  We 
had,  on  that  occasion  just  reached  the  summit  of  the 
Sierras  from  which  we  were  to  descend  into  the  valley. 


Yosemite  ! How  wells  tlie  heart, 

When  o’er  the  Sierras’  summit  height, 

The  sense  of  sight,  to  the  soul  imparts 

Fair  nature’s  gift,  this  grand,  this  gorgeous  sight. 

Behold  ! we  near  the  crested  edge  ; 

Our  every  breath  held  by  a spell. 

We  fain  would  make  a solemn  pledge, 

To  all  the  world  this  vision  tell. 


28 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


Down  ! clown  ! the  mountain’s  side  we  prance, 

Each  steed,  sure-footed,  marks  liis  pace. 

To  the  right — to  the  left — yes,  all  around, 

Bold  rocks  command,  and  waters  run  their  race. 

To  the  left,  “El  Capitan”  rears  its  ponderous  head, 
Carved  out  by  some  gigantic  power  ! 

To  the  right,  “ Fort  Rocks  ” commands  the  valley  front, 
Beneath  lies  Tissaack’s  chosen  bower. 

Down  in  the  very  depths  of  this  colossal  vale 
Hemmed  in  by  sybil’s  choicest  charms, 

Our  soul  would  break  from  its  fettered  chains 
And  with  its  praise,  the  mortal  man  disarm. 

With  hair  unfurled  and  ribbon  tossed, 

Across  the  “ Bridal”  stream  we  bound, 

And  with  hats  in  hand  we  give  one  shout ! 

For  our  Mecca  we  have  found. 

In  the  night  the  train  enters  the  Tehachapi  Pass — 
enters,  as  it  were  the  last  remnants  of  chaos;  enters  one 
of  nature’s  grandest  caprices;  as  treacherous  as  it  is 
wonderful,  as  interesting  as  it  is  beautiful,  and  as 
capricious  as  it  is  grand.  The  Tehachapi  Pass  is  one 
of  the  greatest  pieces  of  railroad  engineering  in  the 
world.  It  includes,  perhaps,  the  wonderful  features 
of  all  other  railroads  combined.  ' 

In  this  Pass,  comprising  a distance  of  nineteen  miles, 
you  have  your  high  tressels,  chasms,  horse  shoes,  Cape 
Horns,  tunnels,  &c.,  &c.  In  fact  these  things  in  them- 
selves constitute  this  entire  section.  The  train  will 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


29 


jump  from  mountain  dome  to  pinnacle;  from  peak  to 
peak,  with  as  much  agility  as  a man  on  the  trapeze. 
In  the  last  mile  of  this  section  the  train  passes  through 
five  tunnels.  By  the  curves  and  the  angles,  the  cross- 
ing of  ravines,  and  the  rounding  of  pinnacles;  with 
high  lowering  mountains  on  the  one  side,  and  precip- 
itous gorges  on  the  other;  all  theories  of  trigonometry 
and  the  calculus  are  demonstrated,  and  practically  too. 
The  locomotive  fairly  plays  tag  with  the  tail  end  of  the 
train  in  the  wildest  commotion.  You  are  held  spell- 
bound. In  its  fury  Mr.  Smokestack  again  belches 
forth  its  Hush,  Hush,  Hush,  as  if  warning  you  to  hold 
your  breath  and  not  venture  a whisper  until  we  are 
over  safely.  Standing  on  some  of  the  elevations  over 
which  the  train  passes,  in  this  wild  and  elevated  re- 
gion, a most  imposing  view  of  the  surrounding  coun- 
try may  be  had.  It  suggests  that  the  whole  of  God’s 
footstool  might  be  comprehended,  so  vast  is  the  ex- 
tent. The  eye  peers  over  hill,  dale,  mountain  peaks 
and  ranges,  until  it  is  lost  in  its  own  vision,  and  seems 
to  comprehend  infinity.  How  grand  the  sensation  ! 
How  your  soul  grasps — pants,  for  just  a something 
more.  From  Yosemite  to  Tehachapi  your  mind  re- 
verts. W e have  often  heard  how  the  W est  in  its  broad 


30 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


expanse,  captures  the  emigrant  and  traveler  in  mind 
and  spirit,  and  weans  him  from  his  eastern  home.  We 
have  all  tried  to  define  what  this  influence  is;  I think 
it  is  just  such  scenes  as  this.  As  the  mind,  in  compre- 
hending and  retaining  its  mental  observations,  and  as 
the  field  becomes  broader  and  he  clings  to  those  obser- 
vations with  a zeal  proportionate  to  its  vastness,  so 
does  the  soul  expand  with  what  it  sees,  in  proportion 
to  its  own  vastness.  How  often  this  condition  forces 
itself  upon  the  traveler  in  Arizona.  And  perhaps  this 
is  the  reason  one  finds  so  many  whole-souled  men  in 
this  interesting  Territor}'.  Many  of  them  were  perhaps 
whole-souled  before  they  went  there,  but  we  are  rather 
inclined  to  think  the  most  of  them  have  become  sofrom 
the  very  soul-spirit  of  all  nature  in  this  beacon  land. 
As  the  mind  is  wont  to  grasp  after  what  lies  beyond 
its  present  sphere,  so  does  the  emigrant  and  the  trav- 
eler jealously  long  for  the  blessing,  the  freedom,  the 
liberty,  the  wide  expanse,  that  these  scenes  suggest  to 
his  nature. 

The  traveler  takes  a last,  lingering  look  at  the  re- 
gion of  the  Tehachapi  Pass,  this  being  the  last  moun- 
tainous scenery  until  he  reaches  Central  Arizona. 
This  region  is  commonly  known  as  the  famous 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


31 


“Loop/’  from  the  fact  that  in  circling  itself,  it  crosses 
its  own  track  to  reach  a high  elevation  of  mountain. 

At  daylight  you  strike  a portion  of  the  great  Mo- 
jave Desert,  the  word  “desert”  striking  dimly  on 
your  ear,  and  feeding  the  mind  with  imaginary  evils 
always  associated  with  that  name.  This  gradually 
dies  away,  however,  with  the  remarkable  and  interest- 
ing characteristics  peculiar  to  the  so-called  desert, 
gleaned  later  from  our  facetious  friends — the  pioneers 
and  frontiersmen  of  our  countr  , and  from  the  natives. 
A chapter  on  the  deserts  of  our  country  will  be  found 
in  its  proper  place. 

Further  south  four  hundred  and  seventy  miles  from 
San  Francisco,  the  far  famed  orange  region  is  reached. 
The  conglomerate  city  oi  Los  Angeles  tells  you  of  the 
adventurous  daj's  of  the  chivalrous  Fremont  Eight 
miles  below  Los  Angeles  you  pass  through  the  fertile 
San  Gabriel  Valley,  where  the  greatest  orange  groves 
of  the  State  thrive  in  luxurious  splendor  Here  are 
located  the  great  orange  groves  of  E.  J.  Baldwin,  Esq. 
All  kinds  of  semi-tropical  fruits  are  raised  on  this 
ranch,  which  covers  sixteen  thousand  acres. 

One  of  the  original  aims  of  Mr.  Baldwin  was  to  sup- 
ply his  own  culinary  wants  of  the  hotel.  This  self 


32 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


sustaining  principle  enables  him,  in  adding  to  the 
luxuries  of  his  hotel,  to  do  so  at  a less  cost  than  any 
other  method,  or  in  other  words,  to  give  a greater 
amount  of  luxuries  for  the  same  price.  This  system 
of  Mr.  Baldwin’s  explains  the  query  made  by  the 
many  patrons  of  his  house,  “ How  can  he  afford  to 
run  this  extravagance  at  the  regular  hotel  rate?  ” 

To  get  an  invitation  from  Mr.  Baldwin  to  visit  his 
ranch  in  Southern  California,  and  to  actually  visit  itt 
is  a treat,  and  one  can  get  an  extended  and — ex- 
alted did  we  say — at  least  a flattering  idea  of  a bonan- 
za farm  of  Southern  California.  On  this  ranch  or  farm 
can  be  found  all  products  indigenous  to  the  coast. 
Mr.  Baldwin  lias,  also,  other  ranches  in  different  parts 
of  the  State.  The  orange  blossoms  and  groves  throw 
their  fragrance  broadcast  through  the  air  and  with 
their  emblematic  influences,  charm  the  senses. 

An  orange  tree  in  blossom  is  a gorgeous  sight 
“Gorgeous  sight,”  did  I say?  Well!  it  depends. 
To  some,  each  blossom  is  transformed  into  a little 
cupid  plumed  and  armed,  and  holding  high  carnival 
in  the  tree  top:  while  to  many  these  are,  by  some 
misordained  condition  of  nature,  transformed  into  lit- 
tle devils.  Owing  to  the  present  jogging  condition 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


35 


of  the  world,  this  orange  growing  section  will  not  loose 
its  interest  for  some  time  to  come.  We  are  told  of 
both  young  and  old  having  fainted  at  the  sight  and 
perfume  of  this  marital  emblem.  At  least,  we  can  say 
by  our  own  experience,  a drive  from  Los  Angeles  to 
the  beach  at  Santa  Monica  through  the  orange  groves, 
is  a most  condign  place  for  a young  man,  who  wants 
to  have  a lady  faint  in  his  arms. 

One  hundred  miles  south  of  Los  Angeles  you  cross 
the  great  Colorado  desert.  Although  a desert,  this 
vast  tract  of  country  is  full  of  interest.  But  of  these 
interests  in  desert  traveling  we  will  speak  in  connec- 
tion with  our  journey  through  Arizona. 

On  this  desert,  shorn,  if  not  of  its  name,  at  least  of 
its  terrors,  by  the  annihilating  iron  horse,  and  the  civ- 
ilizing palace  car,  one  gets  tlie  first  intimation  of  the 
peculiar  scenery  of  Arizona.  Looking  from  the  car 
window  to  the  east,  a distant  range  of  mountains, 
different  from  anything  you  have,  perhaps,  ever  seen, 
attracts  you. 

“ Domes  and  half  domes, 

Pinnacles  and  peaks;  ” 

truncated  cones,  pyramids  and  spires  ; castles  in  the 
air  (with  solid  foundations,  which  none  but  a strong 


36 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


miner’s  will  can  move)  with  bases  of  hidden  gold  and 
silver,  salute  you.  This  is  the  scene  that  contrasts  so 
forcibly  with  your  desert.  And  this  variety  is  what 
makes  the  desert  so  interesting  in  itself.  We  all  know 
the  charm  of  variety — of  change.  In  the  direction 
you  are  now  looking  lies  the  famous  “Needles”  of 
the  great  Colorado  River.  In  the  distance  are  the 
famous  “Chimney  Peaks  ; ” further  down  is  the  “ Cas- 
tle Dome ; ” and  by  imagination's  sweet  charm,  or 
in  recollection’s  powerful  cast,  you  see  the  capricious, 
the  whimsical,  the  wonderful  Colorado  River. 

This  is  the  view  that  greets  the  traveler’s  eye  and 
cheers  his  spirit  as  he  nears  Arizona,  and  for  three 
hours  before  reaching  her  initial  point,  Yuma.  Let 
it  be  in  the  grey  of  the  morning,  and  the  peculiar  hazy 
blue,  like  a sea  vapor  that  hems  the  different  mounts 
and  ranges  in,  reminds  you  of  the  Blue  Mountains  of 
Jamaica  in  the  West  Indies.  Let  it  be  in  the  eve- 
ning’s golden  hue  of  an  Arizona  sunset,  and  the  rug- 
ged outline  fringed  with  gold  and  crimson,  and  the 
whole  fretting  on  the  azure  blue  of  the  firmament,  is 
a scene  to  charm  the  soul  and  puzzle  the  senses. 

From  here  I started  to  make  a two  month’s  tour 
through  the  northern  part  of  the  Territory,  the  results 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


37 


of  which  will  be  embodied  throughout  my  book  in 
connection  witli  my  southern  trip ; and  from  which 
trip  I returned  to  Yuma  on  the  first  day  of  December 
to  await  the  arrival  of  the  Aztec  party. 


CHAPTER  III. 


MY  ARRIVAL  AT  YUMA — DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  TOWN— ITS  FOR- 
MER HIISTORY— THE  COMING  SANITARIUM— DR.  LORYEA’S 
OPINION— THE  RAILROAD  ENTERPRISE— ITS  VICISSITUDES— 
A WATCHFUL  GUARDIAN  OF  THE  NIGHT— LO  ! THE  POOR 
INDIAN. 

ERE  I am  at  Yuma!  and  while  waiting  for  the 


arrival  of  the  Aztec  party,  I will  contemplate 
some,  the  land  I am  going  to  roam. 

That  part  of  the  Territory  of  Arizona  over  which 
our  travels  were  now  to  extend,  was  acquired  by  the 
Gadsden  purchase  from  Mexico  in  1853;  and,  save 
the  regret  that  the  instrument  of  purchase  did  not 
record  a section  of  country  as  far  south  as  Guay  mas, 
which  would  have  given  us  a port  on  the  Gulf  of 
California — a “Golden  Gate”  to  Arizona — the  pur- 
chase was  a most  condign  and  satisfactory  one.  At 
the  time  of  the  purchase,  Mr.  Gadsden  did  not  re- 
ceive himself,  this  compliment  from  the  people,  but 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


39 


rather  abuse  and  ridicule;  an  abuse  evidently  given 
from  ignorance.  This  suggests  how  often  chastise- 
ment is  given  in  ignorance.  How  long — Oh ! how 
long,  will  the  human  race — that  noble  race — that  man 
— in  his  vast  system  of  philosophy,  education  and  sci- 
ence—that  being  with  a reputed  psychological  exis- 
tence, be  elevated  to  know  how,  when,  and  where  to 
chide.  Then  indeed  will  our  God-soul  be  elevated 
toward  its  rightful  sphere.  Then  will  judges  be  well 
deserving  the  potent  “ Honorable,”  and,  the  preachers 
claim  “ Reverend  ” to  their  names.  Then  will  parents 
make  men  and  women  of  their  offspring,  and  be  truly 
proud  of  their  issue.  As  it  is,  where  is  the  man  who 
would  dare  originality  or  individuality  to  the  full 
extent  of  what  his  experience,  education  and  good- 
will would  seem  to  urge,  for  fear  of  reprimand  from 
an  unphilosophic  world  ? There  are  a few  such ; they 
die  persecuted — perhaps  a martyred  death  for  the 
benefit  of  an  enriched  and  selfish  world ; while  that 
world  lives  the  very  embodiment  and  verification  of 
the  sheep  element ; following  where  they  have  been 
led,  and  grazing  on  the  products  of  a good  and  fer- 
tile soil.  Poor  Arizona ! How  near  you  came  to 
being  lost  to  us.  But  Ho!  for  Arizona  ! is  our  senti- 


40 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


ment  now.  Although  in  many  places  in  our  country, 
within  certain  limits  are  combined  so  great  a variety 
of  climate  and  topography  that  one  may  in  certain 
sections,  experience  all  the  diversity  of  traveling 
abroad;  especially  is  this  applicable  to  the  southern 
portion  of  the  Pacific  coast.  In  one  short  day  you 
come  from  the  snows  of  the  Sierra  to  the  tropic  of  the 
desert,  where  in  July  the  thermometer  will  range 
about  an  average  of  120°  Fahr.  in  the  shade,  and  170° 
in  the  sun.  One  peculiar  feature  of  Arizona’s  climate 
might  be  mentioned  here. 

Although  the  thermometer  may  often  range  much 
higher  than  in  some  other  known  place,  the  heat  is 
felt  very  much  less.  An  incident  of  mine  will  amply 
illustrate  the  fact.  In  ’73  I went  to  Southern  Cali- 
fornia for  the  first  time;  I had  some  friends  whom  I 
visited  and  who  were  farmers.  Having  once  lived  on 
a farm,  the  inclination  presented  itself  to  me  to  see 
how  much  of  my  rural  tuition  I had,  in  my  now  rov- 
ing propensities,  retained.  I made  a request  to  go  into 
the  hay  field  the  next  day,  and  help  pitch  hay  “just 
to  see  how  it  felt”  as  I said,  “after  a fifteen  years 
rest.”  The  next  day  I was  told  by  my  friend  in  an 
insinuative  sort  of  way  that  it  was  going  to  be  a very 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


41 


hot  day  he  thought,  and  he  did  not  think  an  eastern 
man  like  me  could  stand  it  to  work  in  the  sun.  Now 
this  was  the  very  worst  thing  he  could  have  said  to 
me  if  he  had  not  wanted  me  to  go,  for  I always  pride 
myself  on  my  physical  strength  and  powers  of  endur- 
ance. I was  bound  to  go.  I worked  until  noon,  and 
pitched  hay  all  the  time  too.  The  thermometer,  I 
learned  when  we  went  to  the  house  to  dinner,  was 
118°  Fahr.  I could  not  believe  it  at  first.  I 
had  suffered  some  from  the  heat  — in  fact  con- 
siderable. But  it  was  rather  a burning,  outward 
heat  as  from  the  rays  of  the  sun ; and  not  an 
inward  bodily  heat  as  if  suffocating.  And  although 
I perspired  freely,  the  big  drops  rolling  down  my 
cheeks  and  brow,  I did  not  suffer  as  much,  nor  feel 
as  fatigued,  as  when  walking  in  New  York  under  a 
thermometer  of  95  degrees  in  the  month  of  July  or 
August. 

This  is  the  nature  of  the  heat  in  these  locations. 
The  rarity  and  dryness  of  the  atmosphere,  it  is  well 
known,  is  the  chief  cause  for  this  favorable  condition, 
and  especially  has  Arizona  these  qualifications.  When 
a person  hears  another  speak  of  the  thermometer 
being  110°  or  115°  in  Southern  California  or  Arizona, 


42 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


he  must  not  imagine  that  those  “poor  mortals  ” there 
are  suffering  what  he  would  be  in  New  York  or  Balti- 
more under  a thermometer  of  90°.  Yuma  itself,  in 
conjunction  with  the  Colorado  River  which  runs  along 
side,  from  the  cause  jusi  alluded  to,  is  Nature’s  Russian 
or  Turkish  bath.  The  very  Indians  take  their  sun 
bath  here  every  day.  For  centuries  this  people  have 
been  reclining  at  certain  times  of  day  on  their  heated 
sand-mounds,  at  a high  temperature,  and  checking  the 
heat  by  a plunge  in  the  cooling  waters  of  the  Colorado. 
For  centuries  they  have  been  working  wondrous  cures 
from  the  aid  of  these  medical  properties  of  the  soil 
and  atmosphere.  A private  letter  written  me  con- 
cerning this  location  as  a natural  Sanitarium,  by  Dr. 
A.  M.  Lorj'ea,  M.  D.  of  the  celebrated  Hammam  baths 
of  San  Francisco,  comprehends  some  of  the  principal 

merits.  Dr.  Loryea  says  : 

<(****  My  experiences  in  Arizona  were  very  sat- 
isfactory. The  heat  there,  though  high,  is  endura- 
ble in  consequence  of  the  dryness — hence  its  adapta- 
bility as  a place  of  residence  to  those  afflicted  with 
Renal  affections,  especially  Bright’s  Disease  of  the 
Kidneys.  The  skin  acting  vicariously  for  the  lungs, 
exhaling  carbonic  acid  and  absorbing  oxygen,  Con- 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


45 


sumptives  would  there  find  relief.  One  does  not  take 
cold  and  my  patients  there  in  the  last  stages  of  renal 
and  lung  affections  slept  out  of  doors  all  and  every 
night  with  perfect  freedom.  Malaria  does  not  exist 
in  Yuma,  so  that  we  have  every  advantage  obtainable 
for  invalids  and  hence  many  term  it  ‘Nature’s  Turk- 
ish Bath,  ’ or  the  great  Sanitarium  of  America ; and 
patients  who  may  visit  these  need  not  ‘abandon  hope  ’ 
but  have  every  assurance  if  not  being  cured  of  their 
“ many  thousand  ills  that  flesh  is  heir  to  ” but  at  least 
of  being  ameliorated  and  measurably  benefitted.  Of 
course  all  class  of  affections,  such  as  Rheumatism,  Sci- 
atica and  Neuralgia  are  resolved  by  the  heats  of  Y uma.” 
On  the  Colorado  River,  ninety  miles  from  its  mouth, 
and  on  its  east  bank,  is  located  the  old  city  of  Yuma, 
in  Arizona.  On  the  opposite  shore,  or  California  side, 
on  a high  elevation,  is  situated  Fort  Yuma.  This 
location  which  has  heretofore  lain  mute  with  a history 
that  perhaps  rarely  extended  beyond  its  own  domain, 
except  by  an  occasional  exploring  party,  or  an  inhab- 
itant who  had  fortunately  made  his  escape  from  the 
ravages  of  Indians  or  Mexican  desperadoes,  has 
now  gained  for  itself  a place  in  the  history  of  the 
Pacific  Coast. 


46 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


On  the  29th  of  September — of  the  year,  1877 — 
this  point  became  the  present  terminus  of  the  South- 
ern Pacific  Railroad  of  California.  Since  that  time 
the  two  great  signals  that  govern  the  destinies  of 
armies,  have  been  called  into  requisition  by  the  event. 
“Halt!”  and  “Forward  March!”  have  been  given 
with  all  the  pomp  and  pomposity  of  military  tactics. 
The  occasion  for  these  conditions  seems  to  have  been 
some  misunderstanding  between  the  military  and 
civil  authorities ; but  this  being  now  settled,  and  the 
road  fairly  into  Arizona,  it  is  simply  our  pleasure  to 
notice  the  likely  results  and  interesting  incidents 
from  the  fact. 

The  likely  results  are  that  a complete,  through, 
southern,  trans-continental  route  will  steal  an  exist- 
ence upon  us,  as  unawares,  as  did  the  first  and  origi- 
nal road  across  the  Continent  in  ’69.  When  we 
realize  the  vast  interest,  to  all  the  different  sciences, 
the  two  Territories  of  Arizona  and  New  Mexico  are 
constantly  opening  up  to  the  geologist  as  a mining 
district;  and  to  the  historian,  in  the  different  races 
of  human  beings  suggested  by  the  many  and  unique 
ruins  constantly  being  discovered,  we  hail  the  event. 
The  legeudary  spirit  connected  with  many  of  these 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


47 


old  and  pre-historic  ruins,  is  interesting  beyond  de- 
gree; and  the  subject  so  engrossing  that  we  dare  not 
attempt  a description  in  this  present  limited  space. 

The  bridge  over  the  Colorado  looms  in  plain  sight 
to  the  inhabitants  of  both  sides  of  the  river,  a lasting 
monument  of  the  indomitable  pluck  adextremum , of 
the  American  people. 

The  completion  of  this  bridge  was  associated  with 
some  pleasing  incidents  on  the  night  of  September 
29th.  From  the  misunderstanding  between  civil  and 
military  authorities  before  alluded  to,  orders  were 
issued  to  the  military  headquarters  at  Fort  Yuma,  not 
to  allow  any  of  the  Southern  Pacific’s  rolling  stock 
whatever,  to  cross  the  Colorado  River,  and  to  stop  the 
construction  of  the  bridge.  Sentinels  were  placed 
at  the  bridge  to  keep  vigilance.  Nobly  did  our 
country’s  servant  perform  his  duty  until  his 

bed  time  came.  Then  all  was  “quiet  on  the” 

Colorado.  Our  sentinel  slackened  liis  martial  tread, 
and  stooped  to  catch  the  slightest  sound;  and  in  the 
stillness  of  the  night,  the  yelp  of  a stealthy  coj-ote,  or 
the  screech  of  a hawk  was  his  ordy  reward,  except 
perhaps,  the  snore  of  the  bridge-engineers,  which  in 
this  case  must  have  been  a little  unnatural,  as  it  was 


48 


FICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


feigned.  Thinking  that  “all  was  well,”  our  sentinel 
thought  to  steal  a little  sleep.  No  sooner  had  he  suc- 
cumbed to  his  own  alluring  thoughts,  than  the  same 
surreptitious  spirit  to  “steal”  was  evinced  by  the 
sturdy  engineers.  In  a moment,  they  were  “ to  arms  ” 
or  rather  to  their  tools  ; stole  a march,  and  in  the 
space  of  three  short  hours  the  last  quarter  of  a mile 
of  track  was  laid,  including  a section  of  one  of  the 
most  substantial  bridges  on  the  coast.  Well  did  they 
steal  their  march.  And  well,  do  we  think,  our  sen- 
tinel must  have  slept.  The  right  of  way  to  this  Com- 
pany for  crossing  the  Colorado  ended  on  the  following 
day,  the  30th  of  September.  On  the  29th  at  eleven 
o'clock  at  night,  they  ran  the  first  steam  cars  over  this 
bridge  from  California  into  Arizona.  Since  then,  it 
has  been  authentically  decided  that  they  had  the 
right  to  do  so,  and  the  work  of  extending  the  road  on 
through  Arizona  is  about  to  commence  witli  the  same 
indomitable  pluck  characterizing  the  road  to  its  pres- 
ent terminus. 

Distance  often  gives  an  erroneous  interpretation,  as 
well  as  an  enchantment.  We  think  this  is  somewhat 
the  case  witli  Yuma.  Yuma  is  the  new  name  for 
Arizona  City.  It  is  not  an  Indian  village ; though 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA 


51 


an  Indian  village  exists  contiguous  to  it,  and  a full 
representation  of  the  old  Yuma  tribes  constitute  an 
equal  half  of  its  daily  population.  Blanketed  and 
half-nude  Indians  associate  as  intimately  with  the 
whites  (what  few  there  are  here)  as  do  the  Mexicans 
themselves. 

The  town  itself,  is  strictly  of  Mexican  origin,  and 
savors  of  all  the  looseness  and  primitiveness  charac- 
teristic of  the  smaller,  out-of-the-way  towns  in  the 
.Republic  of  Mexico. 

Standing  on  the  promontory  where  the  fort  is  lo- 
cated on  the  California  side,  and  looking  over,  and  at 
an  angle  of  perhaps  20°,  one  sees  a mass  of  one  story 
buildings,  built  of  adobe,  and  roofed  with  mud,  the 
floors  of  which  were  originally  the  ground,  but 
which  have  been,  by  the  more  thrifty  foreigners 
of  all  classes  recently  arrived,  replaced  by  board 
ones.  Some  are  whitewashed,  and  present  a cleanly 
appearance;  while  others  are  the  embodiment  of  the 
filth  of  the  greaser.  One  or  two  genuine  Span- 
ish houses  built  in  the  quadrangular  form  with  the 
garden  plot  in  the  center,  and  two  stories  high  with 
a veranda,  where  flower-stands  bedecked  with  flowers, 
eheer  this  otherwise  barren  place.  The  town  of  Yuma 


52 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


was  first  founded  about  1855,  and  was  then  called 
Colorado  City.  In  1858  it  contained  about  half  a 
dozen  houses,  according  to  Ives’  report  on  government 
explorations.  The  name  was  then  changed  to  Arizona 
City,  and  afterwards  to  Yuma  City,  in  honor  of  the 
government  fort  across  the  river.  It  now  numbers 
about  two  thousand  people  of  all  classes,  including 
Indians. 

The  hour  of  eight,  every  morning  now,  when  the 
train  comes  in,  is  an  interesting  one  in  Yuma.  There 
is  then  congregated,  with  eager  eyes,  Indians,  Chinese, 
Americans;  Jew,  Gentile,  and  Pagan.  In  fact,  most 
every  nation  and  condition  of  men  on  the  earth,  one 
might  be  inclined  to  say,  is  represented.  The  same 
conglomeration,  characteristic  of  all  embryo  places  of 
the  West,  is  here  seen.  It  seems  to  us  that  now  would 
be  a good  time  for  the  study  of  the  Psychologist  in 
Yuma,  as  it  is  interesting  to  the  traveler. 

At  night  the  Indian  huts  and  camp  lires  may  be 
seen  glimmering  around  the  ci tyr.  As  one  approaches 
these  and  sees,  crouched  together,  a handful  of  half- 
clothed,  beggarly  Indians,  a feeling  of  sadness  steals 
over  him.  They  will  sit  with  stoic  stillness  and 
stare  at  you  with  an  awe-stricken  expression 


. . ....  , 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


55 


as  if  they  knew  that  their  hour  for  final  extermina- 
tion was  at  hand.  The  fires  perhaps,  may  he  fading 
into  dying  embers.  Upon  this  you  will  look  and 
muse.  For  how  typical,  in  its  fading,  is  it  of  the  very 
race  to  which  it  has  given  warmth  and  life.  You 
count  one,  two,  three,  four,  five  remaining  embers  in 
the  heap.  There  are  just  five  Indians  in  the  group. 
As  quickly  as  those  embers,  must  these  Indians  fade 
away  under  our  civilization  ; and  we  wonder,  that  if, 
in  our  civilized  state,  were  we  truly  so,  this  would  be 
the  case. 


V 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  ARRIVAL  OF  THE  AZTEC  MINING  COMPANY— THE  DENIZENS 
OF  YUMA — WE  BREAK  OUR  FAST — THE  EXCITEMENT  OVER 
OUR  MULES— THE  “ YOSEMITE  AND  THOROUGH-BRED!” 


N the  5th  of  December,  1877,  Col.  Wm.  G.  Boyle, 


President,  and  Col.  J.  D.  Graham,  Secretary  of  the 
Aztec  Mining  Company,  arrived  at  Yuma  with  the 
following  members  of  the  company,  and  well  known 
capitalists  of  the  East:  Alexander  Wilden,  Esq.,  of 
Philadelphia,  Dr.  H.  R.  Allen,  of  Indianapolis,  founder 
of  the  great  National  Surgical  Institute  of  Indian- 
apolis, Indiana ; J.  K.  Wallace  and  F.  Steele  of  Phil- 
adelphia ; Col.  C.  W.  Tozerof  San  Francisco;  and  Col. 
R.  II.  Hinton,  of  the  Evening  Post , San  Francisco,  who 
was  just  completing  his  superb  Hand  Book  to  Ari- 
zona. In  addition  to  these  were  several  subordinates, 
such  as  our  cook,  two  drivers  and  your  humble  ser- 
vant. Yes!  and  there  was  another  arrival  not  a little 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


57 


important  to  the  completion  of  the  company,  in  the 
shape  of  eight  large  stalwart  Kentucky  mules.  If  the 
reader  had  been  in  Yuma,  Arizona,  at  the  time  of  the 
arrival  of  these  mules  he  would  appreciate  the  value 
of  this  last  assertion  ; for  to  the  population  of  Yuma 
this  last  acquisition  was  the  all  interesting  one.  In 
these  eight  mules  was  more  interest  to  the  majority 
of  the  inhabitants  of  this  hamlet  community,  than 
any  event  since  the  arrival  of  the  railroad  in  Septem- 
ber. I venture  to  say  that  eight-tenths  of  the  popu- 
lation would  have  given  more  for  one  of  these  mules 
than  all  the  other  things  connected  with  our  outfit, 
including  the  members  themselves.  I must  explain 
here  that  this  eight-tenths  portion  of  the  population 
is  composed  of  Indians  and  Mexicans ; and  also  that 
a genuine  animal  of  this  kind  had  never  yet  trod  the 
virgin  soil  of  Arizona,  and  considering  the  weakness 
of  the  Indian,  and  the  avarice  of  the  Mexican  to  pos- 
sess a fair  specimen  of  the  asinine  creation,  you  will 
not  only  comprehend  the  situation  with  them,  but  will 
appreciate  our  situation  in  keeping  a fatherly  eye  at 
night  on  those  particular  mules.  The  excitement  on 
the  arrival  of  our  party  was  as  rife  as  on  the  occasion  of 
the  entrance  of  the  first  locomotive  into  the  town.  I 


58' 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


saw  them  both.  Steaming  across  t e Colorado,  on  the 
new  bridge,  which  was  yet  a great  object  of  interest  to 
the  Indian  and  the  crude  Mexican,  the  people  rushed 
to  the  depot  to  see  us.  Indians  hung  to  the  sections 
of  the  bridge,  climbed  on  the  cars,  peeped  in  the  win- 
dows, crouched  themselves  on  the  steps  and  platforms 
of  the  cars,  and  reminded  one  of  monkeys  in  a “ happy 
family  ” cage  of  some  museum,  surreptitiously  at  work 
under  the  ostentation  of  play,  to  find  some  fleeting 
opportunity  to  take  advantage  of,  or  play  some  trick 
upon  their  unsuspecting  associates.  And  not  only  does 
this  subtle,  stoic  race,  with  his  hanging  breech-cloth 
following  after  him  in  the  wind,  as  he  leaps  from  tie 
to  brace  on  the  bridge,  or  hangs  from  his  body  as  he 
clings  to  a beam,  in  the  performance  of  some  favorite 
gymnastic  feat,  look  like  the  monkey;  but  as  stealthily 
will  he  play  any  cunning,  or  antics  upon  you  at  the 
least  opportunity.  They  will  steal  a blanket  or  a 
horse  with  as  much  agility  and  shrewdness  as  a mon- 
key will  steal  your  hat. 

Next  to  the  Indian,  the  Mexican  drew  upon  our 
notice.  With  his  large  sombrero,  and  his  serappa 
thrown  over  his  shoulder  a la  Italian,  you  have  with- 
in you  all  the  sentiment  of  visiting  and  being  in  your 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


61 


sister  Republic— Mexico  ; or  of  some  hamlet  in  Spain. 
By  the  way  this  class  eyed  our  mules,  we  concluded 
they  were  his  particular  attention.  And  by  the  way 
ice  eyed  our  mules  at  night,  you  would  have  come  to 
the  conclusion  that  he  was  our  particular  attention 
also. 

On  the  morning  of  the  fifth  of  December  then,  the 
long  anticipated  trip  to  the  Santa  Ritas  commenced. 
I had  been  on  many  an  expedition;  had  traversed 
many  a mountain  range;  and  had  traveled  many  a so- 
called  desert  of  our  West;  but  somehow  this  occasion 
had  inspired  me  with  a new  zeal  to  analyze  the  coun- 
try and  its  resources.  I was  up  at  day-break,  as  I 
used  to  be  on  the  memorable  Fourth  of  July  in  my 
boyhood.  The  first  object  that  presented  itself  to  me 
on  coming  from  my  room  was  the  indefatigable  Col. 
Graham  kneeling  on  a roll  of  blankets  forcing  a strap 
to  its  last  hole,  and  puffing  in  the  attempt.  So  intent 
was  he  upon  his  important  purpose  to  get  each  parcel 
down  to  its  lowest  notch,  that  he  hardly  noticed  me  at 
first,  and  when  he  did,  it  was  with  a careless  “Oh.! 
Have  you  just  got  up  ? ” I tell  you,  this  was  heaping 
coals  of  fire  on  my  head  ; for  I had  prided  myself  on 
being  a lark  in  all  enterprises  of  travel  where  punc- 


62  PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 

tuality  or  vigilance  was  a necessary  requisite.  The 
next  instant,  turning  hastily  around,  I stumbled  against 
Col.  Boyle  who,  guarding  the  interests  and  pleasure 
of  his  companjr,  was  also  “ up  and  doing ; ” but  whether 
with  a “ heart  for  any  fate,”  or  a heart  for  a particular 
fate  is  a question  that  Arizona  herself  will  some  day 
answer  in  the  progress  her  mining  developments  will 
have  made ; and  it  may  be  said  here,  that  through  the 
earnest  efforts  of  these  two  gentlemen,  it  seems  to  me 
the  mining  interest  at  least,  of  Arizona  will  always 
be  identified. 

Having  brushed  around  and  supplied  ourselves,  (in 
addition  to  perhaps  the  most  complete  and  extensive 
commissary  outfit  that  ever  left  Yuma)  with  such 
things  as  extra  ammunition,  some  cheap  whiskey  for 
the  Indians,  some  large  brimmed  hats  a la  sombrero 
style,  and  some  few  gew-gaws  and  what-nots.  Then, 
at  nine  A.M.  came  the  welcome  summons  to  a sumptu- 
ous repast  gotten  up  by  our  host  Mr.  Levy.  A huge 
triangle  rattled  forth  its  notes  of  beefsteak  and  onions, 
eggs,  frejoles  and  flap-jacks,  with  a host  of  other 
things  of  greater  or  less  importance.  Major  Lord 
from  the  Fort  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  our 
facetious  friend,  George  Tyng  of  the  Yuma  Sentinel 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


H5 


were  invited  guests  for  the  occasion.  They  were  uon 
time ; ” and  it  is  useless  to  say,  in  this  climate,  with 
appetites  as  keen  and  bracing  as  the  atmosphere  itself. 
At  ten  o’clock  we  were  ready  for  a start.  A con- 
glomeration of  individuals  which  suggested  thnt  this 
place  would  one  day  be  the  leading  cosmopolitan  city 
of  the  Union,  had  gathered  around  us  with  curious 
stare.  There  were  half  naked  Indians:  Heathen 
Chinese;  primitive  Mexicans;  Turk,  Swede,  Italian, 
German,  Jew,  Gentile  and  Pagan  ; and  a host  of  those 
who  were  nothing  at  all — who  embodied  all  the 
characteristics  of  that  class  of  people,  so  thoroughly 
identified  with  Americo-Mexican  towns,  who  have 
nothing  in  view,  have  left  nothing  behind ; who  have 
always  lived  as  they  are  living  now — “waiting  for 
something  to  turn  up,”  or  until  they  are  turned  down, 
and  harbored  safely  in  their  last  resting  place,  where 
neither  mortal  cares  nor  scriptural  scares,  would  ever 
trouble  them  more.  Such  was  the  scene  that  bid  us 
an  adieu  from  Yuma,  and  which  was  only  a fore- 
runner of  scores  of  similar  ones  that  awaited  us 
throughout  our  journey.  The  Indians,  on  this  occa- 
sion however,  had  a double  interest  They  were  the 
Yumas,  which  are  to-day,  perhaps,  one  of  the  most 


66 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


primitive  of  our  nomadic  tribes.  Even  further  into 
the  interior  of  the  State,  civilized  decorum  seems  to 
be  more  in  vogue.  The  men  here  were  in  the  most 
part  nude;  having  nothing  on  but  a handkerchief, 
known  as  the  breech -cloth,  tied  about  the  loins. 
While  the  women  paid  the  same  scant  observance  to 
the  ancient  doctrine  of  the  fig-leaf,  by  a little  skirt 
made  of  straw  or  calico,  reaching  half  way  down  to 
their  knees  from  their  waists.  The  scene  was  a 
unique  one  to  those  of  our  party  unaccustomed  to  the 
primitive  American  race.  But  with  faculties  sensitive 
to  the  force  of  education  one  soon  becomes  a careless 
observer,  and  passes  these  scenes  as  one  of  the  many 
conditions  it  takes  to  make  up  a world.  Such  scenes 
as  these,  however,  are  becoming  more  rare  every  day, 
and  Arizona  is  the  last  section  of  our  country  which 
offers  to  the  curious  sight-seer  the  nearest  approach 
to  the  crude  American  Indian.  Arizona  in  many  in- 
terests in  fact  is,  what  Col.  Graham  once  said  to  me 
in  regard  to  her  mining  resources,  “It  is  the  Ameri- 
can’s last  chance”  He  said  this  with  a twinkle  in  his 
eye  that  put  a heavy  weight  to  his  meaning,  which  1 
proved  to  myself  after,  and  which  will  be  shown  in 
the  course  of  our  travels. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


61 


Many  scenes  which  are  alike  suggestive  and  inter- 
esting will  have  shortly  passed  away  under  the  rapid 
stride  of  the  railroad,  of  the  miner’s  pick,  and  the  far- 
mer’s plow  and  reaper. 

One  little  incident  before  parting,  suggestive  of  the 
prospector  and  his  life.  Two  young  men  who  had 
evidently  got  Arizona  on  the  brain,  bad,  for  their 
good,  were  preparing  for  a prospecting  trip  through 
the  Territory.  They  were  contracting  for  a jack  (com- 
monly known  in  this  country  as  a buro)  to  be  used 
as  a pack  animal,  to  carry  superfluous  luggage.  A 
Spaniard  had  him  for  sale.  He  was  drawn  up  before 
the  mart.  He  was  “ an  unexceptional  ass,”  the  owner 
said,  and  finally  parted  with  him  for  sixteen  pesos. 
One  of  the  young  men  handed  the  Spaniard  the  six- 
teen dollars.  As  the  Spaniard  turned  to  leave,  I 
never  saw  a more  affectionate  parting  between  man 
and  beast  in  my  life.  The  animal  was  about  the  size 
of  a very  small  Shetland  pony,  or  that  of  a large,  New 
Foundland  dog.  His  ears  would  flap  back  and  lie  on 
his  neck  like  a pair  of  oars.  At  his  docile  look  to- 
ward his  parting  owner,  as  the  latter  patted  him  on  the 
back  an  affectionate  farewell,  the:e  was  a heart-soften- 
ing in  all  observers.  The.  poor  jack  turned  to  follow 


68 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


his  former  master,  and  found  he  was  tied.  His  eyes  rolled 
like  two  orbs  on  pivots,  and  reminded  me  of  the  agony 
of  a bull  whose  head  bad  been  drawn  down  to  the 
floor  for  tbe  slayer’s  axe.  He  finally  got  his  head 
over  the  rope,  and  watched  his  master  as  far  as  he 
could  and  then  be  bowed  his  head  in  grief.  He  did 
not  rant  and  toss,  and  his  sorrow  seemed  all  tbe  more 
intense  for  its  quiet  submission.  0!  this  quiet,  unos- 
tentatious grief!  How  it  penetrates  ! How  it  forces 
out  tbe  human  sympathies.  Here  on  the  frontier  bor- 
der of  tbe  desert,  on  the  verge  of  tbe  wild  man’s  coun- 
try ; away  from  friends  and  home,  this  scene  was 
strongly  in  keeping  with  its  surroundings,  and  bad  its 
effect  upon  us.  It  reminded  me  of  the  parting  of 
many  a son  or  a husband,  on  an  uncertain  pilgrimage 
for  foitune  in  our  great  West.  Many  a scalding  tear 
have  I seen  trickle  down  a wife’s  cheek  as  a husband 
full  of  suppressed  grief,  would,  like  an  Enoch  Arden, 
muster  some  word  of  cheer  for  that  wife — some  to 
suffer  a like  fate,  and  some  to  give  as  great  a cheer  in 
a subsequent  return,  as  they  bad  caused  sorrow  in 
parting. 

Finally  a crack  of  the  whip,  and  the  promiscuous 
crowd  around  us  signified  that  we  were  posi- 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA 


69 


tively  off.  Oar  coaches  consisted  of  the  two  well- 
known  style  of  wagons  “ Thorough-Bred  ” and  11  Yo- 
semite.”  Each  coach  was  mounted  with  an  American 
flag  waving  its  stars  and  stripes  to  the  breeze.  Amid 
a clatter  of  voices  in  the  Mexican,  Chiuese,  Indian- 
negro,  and  a mixing  of  tongues  that  suggested  to  me  a 
modern  Babel,  and  a shout  of  good  cheer  we  rattled  off 
over  the  sand  bottom  of  the  grand  old  Colorado  River, 
for  the  Santa  Rita  Mountains  some  four  hundred  miles 
away.  The  undertaking  was  a ponderous  one.  The 
eight  mules  had  been  purchased  in,  and  brought  all 
the  way  from  Kentucky  to  San  Francisco,  and  from 
thence  the  mules,  wagons,  ammunition  and  stores  had 
been  transported  by  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  to 
Yuma,  a distance  of  seven  hundred  miles  more. 


CHAPTER  V. 

ARIZONA,  THE  FUTURE  COUNTRY  OF  THE  STUDENT  AND  THE 
HUSBANDMAN— THE  FERTILE  VALLEYS  OF  THE  PLAIN— 
THE  UNIQUE  BARRENESS  OF  THE  DESERT— SUNDAY  MORN- 
ING AT  EHRENBERG— THE  MOJAVE  INDIANS — THE  MOUN- 
TAIN PANORAMA  SCENES 

TO  the  ethnologist  and  the  archeologist  generally 
no  other  beaten  route  offers  more  inducements 
than  our  course  to  the  Santa  Rita  Mountains;  and 
certainly  it  has  some  of  the  most  beautiful  valleys  and 
mountain  scenery  in  the  territory,  except  the  route 
from  Ehrenberg,  on  the  Colorado  River,  to  Prescott, 
the  capital,  in  the  Sierra  Prieta  Mountains. 

About  two  hundred  miles  from  the  river,  going 
direcily  east,  you  enter  and  pass  through  the  land  of 
the  Pimo  Indian,  two  hundred  and  fifty^  miles  brings 
you  to  the  old  pre-historic  ruins  of  the  Casa  Grande 
at  the  time  of  the  building  of  which,  the  mind  of  man, 
as  the  legal  investigator  would  say,  “runs  decidedly 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA.  < 3 

to  the  contrary”;  which  simply  means  that  man  don’t 
know  anything  about  it.  Three  hundred  and  ten 
miles  brings  you  to  the  metropolis  of  Tucson  (from 
Too-son).  Three  hundred  and  sixty  miles  brings  you 
to  the  ruined  city  of  Tubae,  and  to  the  old  mission 
ruins  of  Tumacacori,  and  about  four  hundred  miles  to 
the  famous  Santa  Rita  Mountains  and  their  wonderful 
silver  mines.  Many  of  the  famous  Pedros  Pintados 
(painted  rocks),  such  as  are  seen  at  the  Moqui  villages 
in  the  north  eastern  part  of  the  Territory,  are  to  be 
found  on  this  route.  These  things  we  will  describe 
in  turn. 

As  the  traveler  leaves  the  Colorado  River  going 
east,  he  passes  over  the  great  Colorado  basin.  Some 
misapprehensions,  I find,  exists  in  the  minds  of  new 
comers  to  Arizona,  concerning  this  basin.  They  con- 
flict it  with  what  is  generally  known  as  the  “ Colorado 
Desert.”  This  is  a mistake.  In  times  gone  by  when 
the  vast  section  of  Southern  California  and  the  eastern 
part  of  Arizona  was  considered  as  one  great  and  un- 
known desert,  the  whole  was  indefinitely  called  the 
“Colorado  Desert.”  But  it  is  not  so  now  under 
the  more  modern  surveys  and  divisions.  The  “Colo- 
rado Desert”  lies  wholly  in  California.  The  term 


n 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


“Colorado  Desert”  is  a proper  name  given  in  honor 
of  the  great  Colorado  River,  it  is  true,  which  courses 
very  near  to  it  The  term  Colorado  not  being  used 
here  as  either  a descriptive  adjective  nor  an  adverb  of 
place;  but  simply  a proper  name  given  to  it  in  honor 
of  the  great  and  curious  river  which  flows  so  near. 
Indeed  the  Colorado  has  enough  grand  and  curious 
features  of  its  own  without  claiming  any  from  the 
great  desert  which  lies  beyond  it  to  the  west.  Then 
we  will  dispense  with  the  idea  at  the  present  of  the 
Colorado  basin  being  a desert.  It  is  true,  that  in  its 
general  appearance  it  resembles  that  of  a desert,  but 
personal  observation  and  experiences  on  my  part, 
with  proofs  that  have  been  brought  to  my  notice, 
shows  that  these  basins  of  the  rivers  of  Arizona  are 
very  fertile  and  prolific.  Like  the  famous  Walla 
Walla  wheat  districts  in  Washington  Territory,  which 
a few  years  ago  would  not  bring  fifty  cents  to  the 
acre,  but  now  are  producing  seventy  bushels  of  wheat 
to  the  acre  and  creating  a clamor  among  those  seek- 
ing wheat-growing  locations,  so  will  be — yes  are — 
these  basins  of  Arizona  attracting  the  attention  of  the 
enterprising  and  frugal  husbandman.  Deserts  are  not 
always  great  Saharas,  consisting  of  a large  tract  of  level 


A MOJAVE  INDIAN  CHIEF  AT  EHRENBERG. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


77 


sandy  plains  stretching  their  way  across  untold  acres 
and  sections  of  land.  In  Arizona  this  is  especially 
illustrated.  Those  sections  of  Arizona  truly  desert, 
are  rocky  stony  mesas  of  which  there  are  several  in 
the  State ; but  neither  of  the  extent  nor  numbers 
alloted  to  them.  Some  of  the  most  potent  of  these 
are  to  be  found  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  Terri- 
tory in  Mojave  County.  However,  as  we  have  inti- 
mated the  region  of  the  Colorado  basin  extending 
for  a distance  of  from  fifty  to  seven ty  five  miles  east 
of  the  river  into  Arizona,  has  all  the  apparent  barren- 
ness of  a desert.  For  miles  and  miles  in  many  lati- 
tudes, there  is  one  unbroken  level  of  a sandy  surface 
dotted  here  and  there  with  an  undergrowth  of  sage 
brnsh,  mesquite,  palo-verde,  and  the  indomitable 
cacli.  One  important  desert  characteristic  to  be  found 
largely  in  Arizona,  is  the  lack  of  water.  In  travel- 
ing over  the  sections  just  alluded  to,  the  traveler  has 
to  resort  to  his  canteen  filled  with  water,  for  a day 
or  two’s  march.  The  stage  coaches  and  freight  trains 
across  the  plains  have  to  carry  large  hogsheads  of 
water  for  their  animals.  This  is  one  of  the  many 
things  that  increases  the  freight  rates  in  this  Territory. 
In  Arizona  one  has  all  the  facilities  for  experiencing 


78 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


a travel  on  a desert  without  going  to  Africa.  The 
monotony  of  some  of  these  trips  “ across  these  des- 
erts” is  great,  and  yet  they  are  interesting  in  their 
very  monotony,  and  under  the  well  managed  regu- 
lations of  some  of  the  stage  companies. 

I remember  a ride  of  this  kind  I had  in  the  early 
course  of  my  travels,  from  Ehrenberg  to  Prescott  the 
capital.  It  was  during  the  month  of  August,  and 
the  thermometer  stood  about  115°  Fahr.  The  morn- 
ing was  a bright  one.  The  burning  and  brilliant  sun, 
seemed  to  cast  a glaring  halo  around  every  thing. 
The  sand  of  the  riverbank  which  crept  up  to  the  very 
door  sills  of  the  houses,  and  then  crept  all  around 
them  to  the  back  door,  was  one  burning  strand.  I 
doubt  whether  I could  have  walked  in  my  bare  feet 
upon  it.  It  was  Sunday,  and  the  Indians  about 
town,  having  learned  from  the  whites  the  custom  of 
attiring  themselves  in  their  better  dress  on  that  day, 
were  out  in  their  fresh  new  pieces  of  calico;  and  with 
tawdry  feathers,  or  charms  of  beads  around  their 
necks ; were  strutting  up  and  down  th^  shores  of  the 
river  to  my  intense  amusement.  You  will  understand 
when  I use  the  word  calico,  it  is  not  as  we  would 
consider  it  an  article  of  dress;  but  simply  a piece  of 


MOJAVE  INDIANS  AT  EHBENBERG  TAKING  THEIR  SUNDAY  WALK 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


81 


calico  two  or  three  yards  long,  thrown  around  the 
shoulders  like  a shawl  and  allowed  to  come  below 
the  hips — in  some  cases  down  to  the  knees.  Should 
the  wind  blow,  or  from  any  cause  whatever,  this  arti- 
cle of  apparel  showed  any  signs  of  becoming  loosened 
from  the  body,  they  would  guard  their  person  with  it, 
with  all  the  grace,  modesty  and  cunning  of  a belle. 

Six  horses  to  our  coach  and  we  pulled  out  of 
Ehrenberg  for  Prescott.  Each  man  filled  his  canteen 
with  water.  Two  large  kegs  were  filled  for  the  hor- 
ses, and  put  in  the  boot.  The  whole  of  this  day  was 
a desert  ride.  On  the  right  of  us  was  sand,  on  the 
left  of  us  was  sand  ; to  the  front  of  us  was  sand  and 
behind  us  was  sand.  In  the  distance,  and  all  around 
us  was  the  ever  present  indefatigable,  persistent  moun- 
tain, ever  the  pleasing  and  interesting  society  of  the 
Arizona  traveler.  Up  the  river  were  the  great 
“ Needles  ” 

Almost  immediately  upon  leaving  the  town  we 
struck  a dry  sandy  bed,  into  which  the  wheels  of  our 
coach  buried  themselves  to  twice  the  depth  of  the 
fell.  The  day’s  journey  throughout,  was  one  contin- 
uous level  plain  of  similar  substance  save  an  occa- 
sional relief  of  a fertile  plateau. 


82 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


The  first  great  diversion  of  these  trips  is  the  peculiar 
and  interesting  mountain  ranges  and  groups  that  dot- 
ting these  plains  in  all  directions,  seem  to  hem  you  in 
on  every  side  The  mountains  of  all  this  country  are 
peculiar  in  their  formation,  being  broken  up  in  clus- 
ters or  patches,  and  dotting  the  plains  and  valleys  in 
a most  beautiful  relief.  They  occupy  such  relation  to 
each  other,  or  are  so  diffusely  distributed  that  they 
completely  encircle  you  on  all  sides,  and  at  all  times, 
and  at  every  compass.  One  will  often  travel  hundreds 
of  miles  and  although  passing  seemingly  beyond  his 
present  encircled  position  with  the  mountain  ranges, 
he  is  as  rapidly  encircled  by  others.  Ahead  of  him  he 
will  see  an  opening  or  gap  between  two  mountain 
spires  which  would  seemingly  let  him  out  upon  some 
almost  endless  plain.  No  sooner  has  he  scarcely  got 
through  these — nor  when,  nor  how,  he  scarcely  knows 
— than  he  is  as  mysteriously  encircled  by  another, 
as  fully  diversified  and  interesting  as  the  former. 
You  seem  to  be  constantly  within  some  huge  amphi- 
theatre, or  miniature  world  surrounded  by  all  the  gro- 
tesque and  wonderful  upheavals  of  mountain  forma- 
tions. In  front  of  you  for  instance,  may  now  be  seen 
some  spires  or  turrets  finding  their  way  into  heaven. 


MAP  OF  THE  ANCIENT  PROVINCE  OF 
TUSAYAN,  ARIZONA. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


83 


To  the  right,  pinnacled  peaks  and  boulders  fret  the 
azure  blue  sky.  To  the  left,  domes  and  pyramids 
rear  their  ponderous  heads  as  if  not  to  be  moved  even 
by  faith,  and  behind  you  to  the  west,  truncated  cones 
and  towers  and  spires  ; and  spires  and  towers  and 
cones  pierce  the  golden  horizon  of  a setting  sun. 

This  tantalizes  your  powers  of  description.  How 
you  get  into  these  natural  panoramas  you  never  know. 
As  you  ride  along,  some  change  of  mountain  view 
ahead  will  take  place  as  if  by  magic.  It  will  fasten 
itself  upon  your  notice.  Being  prompted  to  look 
around  to  find  your  bearing,  when  lo  ! the  whole  pan- 
orama has  changed.  Let  you  watch  ever  so  closely, 
you  .can  never  discern  nor  comprehend  exactly  how 
you  got  away  from  your  former  scene  of  enchantment. 
The  mathematician  can  understand  this,  and  explains 
it  by  the  deception  of  the  lateral  angle,  in  its  vast  field 
of  extent  over  large  and  unaccustomed  plains  or  areas. 
Some  of  these  mountains  were  one,  five,  eight,  ten, 
and  even  twenty  miles  away,  but  their  lapping,  relap- 
ping, crossing  and  rounding  each  other,  would  produce 
the  effect  described. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


GILA  CITY— A FRONTIER  HOTEL— TARING  THE  CENSUS— CELESTIAL 
PHENOMENA— MEDITATION— A SETTING  SUN  IN  ARIZONA. 


UR  course  to  the  Santa  Rita  Mountains  lay  along 


the  Gila  Valley  Our  start  from  Yuma  not  being 
made  until  the  sun  was  high  in  the  heavens,  only 
twenty-two  miles  were  made  the  first  day,  to  Gila  City. 
Gila  City  ! The  remnants  of  an  ambition  often  revived, 
and  as  often  overthrown  ; a living  skeleton  of  a min- 
er’s hope  and  fancy,  and  the  scene  evidently,  in  days 
gone  by,  of  all  the  vicissitudes  of  a miner’s  and  pros- 
pector’s life  on  the  borders  of  our  country.  In  1861 
the  population  of  this  city  numbered  about  twelve 
hundred  persons.  To-day  it  is  composed  of  a stable 
for  the  stage  company’s  vehicles  and  animals,  a corral 
for  sheep  or  stock,  a square  box-like  building,  built 
of  mud,  one  story  high,  and  called  the  “ Gila  Hotel,” 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA.  85 

and  a kennel  for  the  big  ferocious  dog  who  keeps  sus- 
picious-looking stragglers  and  Indians  away.  The 
census  of  this  city,  taken  while  there  was  just — let  me 
see — the  hotel  keeper  and  his  son — two,  a man  to  at- 
tend to  the  stage  horses — one,  an  Indian  squaw,  boy 
and  papoose — three,  three  dogs — three.  Making  in 

all  nine  living  beings. 

Attractive  mountains  profusely  distributed  on  all 
sides  made  an  interesting  back-ground,  while  between 
them  and  the  hotel  (or  city)  scores  of  sand  and  gravel 
hills  from  three  to  ten  feet  high,  like  humps  on  a 
camel’s  back,  gave  to  the  scene  an  odd  appearance. 
In  one  of  these  little  knolls,  just  opposite  the  hotel, 
was  a “ dug-out,”  protected  from  the  rains  or  scorch- 
ing sunlight  by  a few  cacti  barks  and  frames,  in  which 
dwelt  a remnant  of  some  roving  band  of  Indians. 

Nothing  exciting  disturbed  the  quiet  of  this  place 
at  the  time  of  our  visit.  Only  one  man  had  been  shot 
the  day  before  our  arrival,  and  the  perpetrator  ^as 
then  oil  in  the  mountains  looking  for  more  gold  heaps. 
I said  there  was  nothing  stirring  in  town;  I had  for- 
gotten our  own  arrival.  Imagine  what  a stir,  to  in- 
crease a town  to  double  its  size  at  one  time,  would 
produce.  As  we  drew  up  in  front  of  the  hotel,  the 


8G 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


dogs  began  to  bark  ; the  Indians  from  across  the  way 
crept  out  from  their  humble  hut  and  cast  their  stoic 
gaze  upon  us ; and  the  landlord  greeted  us  with  a 
truly  thankful  smile.  The  dogs  barked  ; the  Indians 
laughed  their  chug-a-wa ; and  the  landlord  smiled 
three  dollars  worth  at  each  one  of  the  party.  This  is 
what  it  costs  the  traveler  to  get  supper,  lodging  and 
breakfast  in  the  land  of  theChemehuevis.  This  is  the 
first  intimation  I have  made  of  the  costs  of  traveling  in 
Arizona.  Those  who  have  ears  to  hear,  let  them  hear, 
and  don’t  go  to  Arizona  without  first  reckoning  up 
the  costs;  and  those  who  have  eyes  to  see,  let  them 
not  go  it  blind. 

When  the  landlord,  however,  found  that  we  were 
an  ambulance  corps  and  commissary  department  com- 
bined, his  lower  jaw  dropped  like  the  tail  of  a cat  in 
distress.  I do  not  know  whether  he  had  or  had 
not  paid  for  his  last  bill  of  goods  from  Yuma. 

As  we  approached  the  city  (by  the  way,  it  seems 
like  a cruel  pollution  of  the  English  language  to  call 
these  squatting  places,  cities,  but  when  you  are  “ among 
the  Romans  you  must  do  as  the  Romans  do”)  we 
were  struck  with  the  peculiar  immediate  change  in  the 
surrounding  country.  It  was  our  first  introduction  to 


HJimcnous.  sc 


AN  INDIAN  WARRIOR. 


89 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 

the  peculiar  mountain  and  valley  scenery  of  Arizona, 
and  I immediately  cherished  the  idea  that  upon  the 
instance  of  the  Trans-Continental  flail  road  through 
the  Territory,  a new  school  for  the  artist  will  have 
been  ushered  into  a practical  existence.  I shall  never 

forget  Gila.  “ Fair  Gila ! on  the  ” Gila  Eiver ; and 

the  particular  impressions  made  upon  me  there  are  all 
the  more  fastened  upon  my  mind  when  I recollect  my 
subsequent  travels  through  the  Territory,  and  I say 
here,  that  Arizona  is  the  coming  land  of  the  artist,  as 
well  as  of  the  miner  and  farmer.  Like  Jacob  we 
pitched  our  tent  to  the  rear  of  the  town  near  the 
)anks  of  the  flowing  Gila.  The  first  entertainment  in 
this  initiatory  camping  scene,  was  a chorus  from  fry- 
ing pans,  kettles,  etc.,  etc.,  and  the  laughing  and  cant- 
ings  of  our  steadfast  friends,  the  mules.  Did  you 
ever  hear  a mule  bray  ? If  not,  you  certainly  want 
to  before  you  die.  It  is  as  essential,  and  fully  as  in- 
teresting as  seeing  Mecca. 

The  table  was  spread — on  the  ground.  Seats  were 
arranged  — on  the  ground.  Our  table  was  the 
ground,  our  table  cloth  was  the  ground ; our  seats 
were  the  ground.  At  night  our  bed  was  the  ground 
with  a goodly  supply  of  blankets.  Of  course,  the 


00 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA, 


first  thing  was  supper,  and  we  will  leave  the  reader 
from  his  own  imagination  to  supply  his  own  puns, 
suffer  his  own  vicissitudes,  crack  his  own  jokes,  etc., 
as  may  best  accord  with  his  own  experience  on  such 
occasions.  Supper  over,  and  chatting  a la  picnic  we 
were  attracted  by  a peculiar  light  and  brillianc}r  in  the 
heavens  beyond  the  mountains,  and  lining  the  whole 
horizon.  Its  brilliancy  and  extent  would  have  sug- 
gested the  reflection  of  a world’s  conflagration  ; but 
the  panoramic  and  kaleidoscopic  effects,  with  the  va- 
riegated hues,  put  far  from  us  in  our  wonder  and  ad- 
miration, all  thoughts  of  this,  and  suggested  some 
great  celestial  panorama.  Hues  and  combinations  of 
colors  most  charming  and  new  to  the  most  of  us,  in 
their  arrangement,  flitter  and  change  at  will.  Clouds 
of  brilliant  hues  would  roll  gently  along  the  moun- 
tains, and  in  their  course,  would  slowly  and  almost 
imperceptibly  change  in  color  and  outline.  Every 
one  of  our  parly  sat  spell-bound,  until  some  enrap- 
tured sense  would  cause  them  to  whisper  in  a scarcely 
audible  sound,  “What  a rose  tint!  What  a beauti- 
ful crimson  ! What  a beautiful ! beautiful ! — beauti- 
ful ! ” — and  then  a deep  sigh  would  end  their  effusions, 
and  they  would  settle  back  into  a discontented  mood 


From  Hlu  loirs  Hand  book  10  Arizona.]  Pkescott,  capital  of  Alii  zona  . 


N I.— ■ 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


93 


at  being  unable  to  analyze  to  themselves  what  they 
saw.  But  in  vain  did  we  try  to  find  any  known  color 
to  convey  to  the  mind  what  the  eye  beheld. 

These  phenomena  are  frequent  in  this  clime  and 
these  latitudes,  and  are  one  of  the  many  allurements 
that  will  attract  the  tourist  to  the  Territory  It  seems 
to  me  that  in  Arizona  you  meet,  in  an  extended  and 
more  extensive  form  the  sunsets  of  Southern  Cali- 
fornia, so  wonderfully  described  by  Bayard  Taylor. 
Italy,  I think,  can  scarce  excel  them  in  beauty ; and 
in  the  various  phenomena  of  their  lights,  science  still 
finds  a work  to  do  in  analyzing  their  causes. 

Sunsets  of  a sublime  character  are  frequent  in  this 
land  of  heat,  light  and  electricity.  One  seen  in  the 
month  of  October  I will  give  : 

A dingy  haze  of  crimson  stretched  from  the  horizon 
and  covering  a third  of  the  heaven’s  disc.  So  dense 
was  the  mist  that  the  outline  of  the  Sun  which  was 
just  approaching  the  horizon  could  barely  be  traced; 
and  yet  the  light  thrown  over  this  third  of  the  heavens 
seemed  as  though  the  sun  had  dissolved,  and  distri- 
buted its  rays  equally  throughout.  The  heavens  were 
a complete  glow  from  horizon  to  zenith,  and  was 
rapidly  changing  in  colors  and  densities.  Here  was 


94 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


a deep  scarlet  patch  flickering  into  a pale  pink  and 
as  rapidly  fading  away,  and  leaving  an  invisible  blue 
to  intervene  and  play  with  other  rapid  transformations. 
The  whole  gradually  formed  into  a circular  segment, 
of  a more  uniform  color,  and  darker,  and  paler.  The 
elements  however,  in  their  restlessness  did  not  suffer 
this  long  to  remain.  Fluttering  like  a “ribbon  in  the 
wind,”  the  whole  finally  disintegrated  itself  into  a 
beautiful  mass  of  fleeting,  flickering,  fretting  mottled 
patches.  The  sky  was  full  of  electricity.  Quivering 
masses  of  rose,  violet,  purple  and  blue,  flittered  across 
the  heaven’s  dome  in  all  the  choicest  variegations. 
I stopped  and  watched  in  silence.  It  was  just  such 
scenes  as  this,  thought  I,  that  made  the  beasts  of  the 
woods  howl  and  whine  at  times,  at  Aurora’s  caprice. 
Presently  the  element  settled  down  its  agitated  spirit, 
and  the  whole  sky  wore  a pale  mellow  light — like  a 
blazoned  background  covered  with  a gauze — the  heav- 
ier blaze  being  dimly  seen  through  it.  This  lasted  but 
a few  minutes,  when,  at  the  horizon  it  rolled  aside  and 
left,  exposed  to  view,  the  Sun — first  a ball  of  solid  fire, 
then  a three-quarter  ball,  then  a half  and  a quarter 
ball,  until  “old  Sol”  finally  dropped  his  head  from 
before  our  gaze,  throwing  his  spears  of  light  out  after 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


95 


him  equal  in  beauty  to  any  aurora  borealis  I ever  saw. 
We  stopped  still  and  watched  it;  as  we  turned  away, 
looked  back  upon  it  and  finally  left  with  a sigh. 

To  the  atmosphere  is  due  to  a large  extent  these 
many  phenomena.  We  had  not  arisen  from  our  sup- 
per table.  We  were  all  seated  on  the  ground.  Dark- 
ness stealing:  over  us  brought  us  to  our  senses  and  a 
general  rustle  was  made  to  clear  the  supper  debris. 

Supper  cleared,  (put  your  own  interpretation  on  the 
word  “ cleared  ”)  and  we  all  proceeded  down  to  the 
corral,  a few  rods  from  our  camp,  to  get  straw  for  a 
comfortable  bed.  Each  grabbed  an  armful  of  hay  and 
proceeded  back  to  the  scene  of  dirty  frying  pans,  mu- 
tilated biscuit,  and  broken  cups  of  custard.  We 
spread  our  beds  of  straw  and  retired.  Never  did  the 
stars  seem  so  bright  to  me,  or  to  have  such  a signi- 
ficance. Never  was  I in  better  humor,  or  felt  more 
vigorous.  I commenced  counting  the  stars,  but  like 
every  one  else  who  ever  attempted  it,  I stopped 
in  short  metre.  Then  I commenced  muttering  over 
to  myself  such  phrases  as  these : “ God’s  footstool  for 
my  bed,  and  his  firmament  for  my  canopy,”  “ — but 
the  son  of  man  hath  not  where  to  lay  his  head.” 
“ The  heavens  declare  thy  glory,  Lord.” 


“ A stone 


96 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


for  a pillow.”  But  all  tliis  was  under  that  anomolous 
condition  that  transforms  unpleasant  conditions  into 
present  ones  of  pleasure.  L'o  not  think  I was  un- 
happy for  all  my  utterances,  for  I was  the  happiest,  in 
my  present  sphere.  I was  enjoying  myself  highly. 
Perhaps  it  was  the  particular  culinary  conditions  of 
our  outfit  that  offset  all  others.  Our  stomachs  were 
full.  Yes,  full  ! For  the  Colonel  would  never  let 
any  one  go  to  bed  hungry.  Perhaps  it  was  my  stom- 
ach that  magnified  the  stars  on  this  occasion. 

This  panorama  was  supplemented  by  a “ grey  of  the 
morning”  peculiar  to  Arizona's  light,  and  interesting. 
The  electric  tints  of  gold  and  crimson  that  so  grace- 
fully bedecked  the  mountains  the  night  before,  had 
changed  to  a peculiar  deep  greyish-blue;  and  in  this 
transformation  had  apparently  brought  each  particular 
peak  or  range  from  a glorious  pinnacle  of  brilliant 
light,  down  to  the  positive  and  austere  condition  of 
something  more  substantial.  The  whole  range  seemed 
to  be  transformed  from  a mission  of  Aurora  to  reflect 
and  charm  the  world  broadcast,  to  a massive  wall  of 
some  creation’s  ampitheatre  austerely  hemming  us  in. 
Thay  seemed  to  have  come  down  to  half  their  height, 
and  to  have  encroached  to  within  half  the  distance 


From  Hinton's  Handbook  to  Arizona.]  TUCSON. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA, 


99 


toward  us.  The  effect  was  weird  and  interesting. 
It  was  a case  of  the  peculiar  and  engaging  deceptions 
of  atmospheric  refraction  peculiar  to  the  land  of  the 
cacti. 

Such  effects  are  constantly  presenting  themselves  to 
the  traveler  in  Arizona,  in  all  species  of  mirage  and 
looming.  Col.  Boyle,  a member  of  the  Geological  So- 
ciety of  London,  remarked  in  his  enchantment  at  one 
of  these  mirages,  that  “ It  is,  in  itself,  worth  a trip  all 
the  way  from  London  to  see.”  Often,  scenes,  such  as 
those  just  alluded  to  will  have  a controlling  effect 
upon  man  and  beast  alike.  Frequently,  in  the  dead 
of  night  or  at  a noon  day’s  sun,  when  the  heavens 
blaze  with  a glaring  light;  or  the  near  firmament, 
with  its  billions  of  atomic  lenses  make  a panorama  of 
of  itself  for  the  portraying  of  the  world  at  large,  the 
wild  beasts  will  suffer  the  most  strange  effects.  Foxes 
will  leave  their  holes  and  howl  a requiem  mass  to  all 
the  nation’s  quadrupeds  at  once  ; and  the  coyote  will 
follow  in  their  wake  with  no  less  zeal.  At  night  the 
scene  is  often  weird,  and  although  the  lamentations  of 
the  brute  creation  will  strike  terror  and  discomfort  to 
the  tender  heart;  even  in  these  a suggestive  interest 
predominates.  At  night  or  day,  phantasms,  and  illu- 


100 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


sions  are  wrought  with  interest  and  admiration  ; but 
the  mirage  of  Arizona  is  destined  to  be  one  of  the  lead- 
ing features  of  the  attraction  to  this  lower  country. 

I will  give  a description  of  a mirage  seen  by  me  on 
the  Maricopa  Desert  in  latitude.  33°,  longitude  112°. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE  MIRAGE— A CITY  NOT  BUILT  WITH  HANDS— ONWARD  FROM 
GILA— THE  SAGUARA— THE  STURDY  SENTINEL  OF  THE  PLAIN 
THE  MESQUITE— THE  PALO-VERDE— A DESERT  RIFE  WITH 
GROWTH. 

IT  was  just  past  noon.  The  nearest  elevation  was 
the  Montezuma  Mountain,  jutting  up  from  the 
level  sandy  plain  which  every where  surrounded  us, 
To  our  left,  over  the  endless  sandy  loam  covered  with 
a stunted  growth  of  grass  weed,  mesquite  and  cacti, 
we  looked  out  upon  what  seemed  to  be  the  ocean’s  deep 
with  a sandy  beach.  To  the  left  down  the  shore  was 
“ round  tower”  and  a fortress  extending  out  into  the 
sea.  Above  was  a round  turretted  building,  massive, 
with  ships  anchored  near  it,  and  others  approaching. 

Between  the  two  a line  of  ships,  with  silver  sails 
were  coursing  along  the  shore,  while  lower  down 
again,  and  off  the  great  fort,  came  slowly  up  a ponder- 


102 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


ous  man-of-war  with  its  broadsides  to,  flying  the 
American  flag.  Beyond,  out  on  the  mighty  deep,  rose 
an  island  profusely  decorated  with  houses,  castles, 
churches,  whose  spires  lifted  their  lofty  heads  well 
into  the  silver  clouds  that  floated  above,  and  the  whole 
capped  by  a huge  white  cloud.  On  the  shore  numer- 
ous persons  could  be  indistinctly  seen  gliding  phantom- 
like to  and  fro.  This  was  the  great  picture  painted 
on  this  canvas  of  Nature’s  immense  firmament  by  the 
great  Natural  Painter. 

Never  had  I witnessed  such  a sj\stem  of  looming. 
Hardly  had  we  feasted  our  soul’s  desire  on  this  charm- 
ing picture  of  nature,  than  nature  despoiled  our 
dreamy  gaze  only  to  throw  us  into  a renewed  ecstacy 
by  a transformation.  Castles  were  converted  into 
farm  houses  with  orchards  and  meadowed  lawns. 
Ships  were  converted  into  palaces,  and  launched  upon 
some  islands  on  the  sea  which  had  now  changed  into 
a charming  crystal  lake,  with  borders  of  forest  and 
evergreen  trees.  Men  were  transformed  into  roaming 
beasts,  or  lifted  into  the  air  by  aid  of  soaring  wings. 
Phantom  like,  ships  would  rise  from  the  water’s  edge  and 
gracefully  glide  on  some  new  sheet  of  water  formed  in 
mid-air,  or  upon  some  floating  sheets  of  ice,  as  if  in 


Fro'u  Minion's  Handbook  lo  Arizona.!  Valley  of  bANTA  Okuz  eiiom  Santa  Kitas. 


S H 


. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA 


105 


Arctic  explorations.  Cities  would  float  before  you 
in  distant  mid-air,  in  lofty  grandeur ; and  regiments 
of  soldiers,  and  palm  tree’s,  and  plants  of  distant  climes, 
and  ancient  castles  and  Indian  huts;  and  lakes  and 
rivers  aud  mountains  would  dot  here  and  there  the 
whole,  making  up  this  picture  of  super-human  gran- 
deur and  beauty.  You  look  upon  the  mist  before  you, 
watching  each  transformation  as  eagerly  as  the  boy  at 
his  first  panorama,  until  your  imagination  is  unwit- 
tingly taken  possession  of  and  you  labor  under  the 
phantasm  that  you  are  beholding  a charming  Fata- 
morgana  on  the  straits  of  Messina  in  Italy:  and  like 
that  boy,  you  are  for  the  time  lost  to  all  the  outside 
world.  Then  in  an  instant  a thin  gauze  is  dropped 
over  this  phantom  spectre,  audit  begins  to  fade  gently, 
until  this  panorama  has  faded  into  oblivion,  and  your 
eye  again  stretches  over  the  great  plains  of  Arizona 
until  it  is  lost. 

You  spur  your  mules  or  asses  on,  take  a sandwich 
from  the  bottom  of  the  wagon  and  then  begin  the  con- 
troversy concerning  your  opinions  and  delights  of  the 
vision  just  passed,  which  is  the  chief  topic  the  rest  of 
the  day. 

Onward  east  from  the  station  Gila — we  cannot  call 


106 


riCTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


it  much  else — and  along  tlie  river  of  the  same  name, 
one  is  attracted  by  the  broad  expanse  of  the  valley  ; and 
subsequently  when  he  investigates  further  into  the  in- 
terests— into  the  fertility  and  characteristics  ofthisgreat 
arroya,  he  is  amazed  at  his  own  credulity  of  its  future 
resources.  The  Gila  valley  resembles  very  much  the 
valley  of  the  river  Nile.  Alex.  H.  Wilden,  Esq., 
who  was  one  of  our  party,  a venerable  gentleman  and 
an  extensive  traveler,  nick-named  it  the  American 
Nile.  The  properties  of  its  soil  like  those  of  the  great 
Columbia  and  Umpqua  Bivers  of  Oregon  and  Wash- 
ington Territories,  and  the  famous  Sacramento  Biver 
of  California,  are  fast  becoming  a leading  consideration 
for  all  those  giving  their  attention  to  the  coast.  Ilere 
is  a valley  which  has  been,  for  centuries  back,  as  far 
at  least  as  the  fourteenth  century,  when  the  Aztecs  were 
in  their  prime  (and  perhaps  further,  as  but  very  few 
evidences  suggest  that  they  cultivated  it  to  any  ex- 
tent) that  has  been,  I say,  serving  as  a collossa!  recep- 
tacle for  a vast  rich  deposit  of  the  decompositions  of 
the  surrounding  mountains,  which  has  been  carried 
and  swept  into  it  by  the  rains  and  winds.  Professor 
Atkinson  has  accounted  for  the  luxuriant  growths  of 
the  wonderful  Walla  Walla  and  Umpqua  valleys,  by 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA 


107 


certain  mineral  deposits  from  the  mountains.  He 
says : — 

“The  volcanic  overflows,  traceable  in  the  Cascade 
mountains,  that  formed  on  cooling  their  basaltdykes 
and  cliffs,  with  their  peculiar  columnar  crystallization, 
added  much  to  the  soil.  Immense  quantities  of  vol- 
canic ashes  doubtless  were  blown  by  winds  or  carried 
by  streams  into  those  ancient  lakes,  giving  like  valua- 
ble deposits.” 

“ These  deposits  ” he  continues  further,  “consist  of 
potash,  soda,  lime,  magnesia,  and  phosphoric  and  sili- 
cia  acids.”  All  of  these  constituents  abound  largely 
in  the  Gila  valley  lands — the  proportions  varying  with 
the  location. 

We  give  below  a table  of  analyzed  mud  taken  from 
the  Colorado  River: 


Oxide  of  Manganese — trace  Insoluble  in  Hydrochloric 

Acid 78.100 

Hydroscopic  Water 3.270 

Chemically  bound  Water,  Soluble  in  Hydrochloric 

Acid 1.140 

Potassa 103 

Soda,  with  trace  of  Litliia 074 

Lime 000 

Carbonate  of  Lime 12.500 

Magnesia 60 

Oxide  of  Iron. 000 

Alumina 2.260 

Phosphoric  Acid 146 

Sulphuric  Acid trace. 


As  you  go  east,  the  evidences  of  rich  vegetable 


108 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


properties  show  themselves  in  the  prolific  growth  of 
grasses  abundant  on  every  hand,  and  the  nutrition  of 
those  in  the  interior  as  you  approach  the  mountain 
ranges  of  the  West,  attest  the  richness  of  the  soil. 
The  famous  gramma  grass  which  is  abundant  in  the 
interior,  is  a valuable  pasture  for  cattle  and  sheep. 
The  bunch  grasses,  all  of  which  are  very  nutritious, 
that  abound,  are  also  evidences  of  fertile  soil.  Besides 
these,  there  is  a prolific  growth  of  shrub  or  under  trees. 
The  palo- verde  is  an  evergreen  and  leafless  tree,  which 
varies  in  height  from  a good-sized  bush  to  a large 
apple  tree.  It  is  described  by  a writer  as  a beautiful 
tree ; I should  rather  term  it  an  interesting  one.  Be- 
ing odd  and  curious  it  attracts  one’s  attention  until 
in  its  strange  contrast  one  is  apt  to  call  it  beautiful. 
Criss-crossing  each  other  at  irregular  angles,  the 
branches  of  these  trees,  straight  or  slightly  curved, 
form  a curious  network.  They  resemble  somewhat 
the  willow  stalk  shorn  of  all  its  leaves.  Not  a leaf  of 
any  kind  adorns  this  gracefully  rigid  tree.  Where  the 
leaves  should  be,  is  the  same  barren  stem  or  stalk  jut- 
ting out  from  the  petiole  or  branch,  a fac-simile  of  the 
petiole  itself:  in  short,  a tree  in  which  the  stem  (or 
trunk),  the  branch,  the  petiole  and  the  leaf,  are  all 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


109 


fac-simile  productions  of  one  and  the  same  thing,  de- 
creasing in  size  until  the  leaf  is  simply  a perfect  sem- 
blance of  a huge  thorn,  or  as  though  the  mid  rib  of 
the  leaf  had  been  pushed  out — nature  forgetting  to 
supply  it  with  its  veins  and  flesh.  The  whole  struc- 
ture is  a curious  and  interesting  study  in  itself. 

These  peculiar  growths  of  the  deserts  of  Arizona 
are  one  of  the  leading  features  of  interest  to  the  trav- 
eler. The  innumerable  cacti,  the  palo-verde,  the  deer 
bush,  a squad  of  branches  shooting  up  from  a common 
centre  and  resembling  somewhat,  high  deer  horns  ; 
and  the  famous  and  productive  mesquite  tree  cover 
the  desert.  Of  the  innumerable  cacti,  we  will  simply 
refer  to  the  one  great  species  confronting  you  every- 
where in  this  great  cacti  Territory — the  Saguara. 
These  specimens  will  often  grow  a straight,  upright 
stalk  to  the  height  of  fifty  feet ; a stiff  mass  of  green 
pulp  and  frame  work,  with  a most  beautiful  system  of 
net  work  resembling  crocheting  with  spangled  stars, 
and  with  prongs  and  coloring  matter  running  through 
the  whole  length  of  the  structure.  As  a support  to 
these  immense  giant  structures  against  the  storms  and 
hurricanes  of  the  desert,  nature  has  furnished  a frame 
of  immense  strength,  consisting  of  series  of  stalks  of 


no 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


hard  wood  running  from  the  root  to  the  top  form- 
ing a perpendicular  cylinder  in  its  course.  In 
the  hollow  of  this  cylinder  there  is  contained  a vast 
quantity  of  milky  substance,  upon  the  principle  of  the 
milk  of  the  cocoanut,  often  amounting  to  many  gal- 
lons. This  has  often  served  as  a life-preserving  ele- 
ment to  the  traveler  over  these  deserts.  Many  a 
pioneer’s  life  has  been  saved  by  these  “useless 
growths  ” as  some  have  been  wont  to  call  the  cacti. 
Besides  this,  the  wood  of  the  frame  being  strong  and 
tough,  has  often  served  too,  to  furnish  material  for  the 
building  of  many  a miner’s  or  ranchman’s  house.  The 
strips  of  wood  resemble,  very  much  hickory  and  oak 
and  I have  seen  whole  towns  in  Arizona,  where  the 
roof,  sides  and  partitions  of  the  house  were  built  of 
this  material,  provided  there  was  not  more  than  one 
house  in  the  town,  and  the  occupants  did  not  expect 
to  stay  more  than  six  months  or  a year.  (People  must 
get  an  idea  of  what  the  word  “town”  means  in  Ari- 
zona.) What  we  would  convey  is,  that  this  material  is 
very  useful  in  building  temporary  abodes  ; and  in  the 
absence  of  the  larger  timber,  ns  is  almost  the  universal 
rule  in  Arizona.  The  Saguara  is  another  species  of  the 
cacti  family,  which  contradicts  the  too  often  applied 


/ 


SYKES,  ON  HIS  GROUNDS. 


PICT u RESQ  u E A It  IZO  X A. 


113 


epithet  of  “ uselessness, ” and  is  verifying  the  more 
rational  proverb  that  “there  is  good  in  all  tilings.” 
In  relation  to  this  we  might  pertinently  refer  to  the 
cacti  of  the  great  Mojave  desert  in  California,  properly 
known  as  the  Tucca  Palm.  Here  is  a strip  of  land 
averaging  in  the  aggregate  three  hundred  by  four  hun- 
dred miles  each  way,  in  length  lying  obliquely  south- 
east and  northwest.  The  main  area,  is  profusely  cov- 
ered with  the  Tucca  Palm.  For  miles  and  miles,  and 
for  hours,  the  train  rushes  through  this  orchard  of 
cacti ; and  to  all  appearances,  it  is  the  very  embodi- 
ment of  an  orchard  laid  out  upon  a large  scale  (each 
tree  averaging  about  the  size  of  a peach  tree)  except 
than  being  laid  out  in  rows  they  are  scattered  promis- 
cuously over  the  land ; but  at  such  regular  distances 
from  each  other  that  the  whole  forms  a pleasing  sym- 
metry. The  tree  is  a unique,  interesting  structure. 
It  is  composed  of  a trunk  averaging  a half  to  three 
quarters  of  a foot  in  diameter  with  only  a limited 
number  of  heavy  stalky  branches  jutting  from  or  near 
the  top,  and  on  the  end  of  which  protrudes  a huge, 
round  ball  (or  oblong  speroid)  gracefully  beset  with 
porcupine-like  thorns.  For  years  and  years,  and  for 
aught  we  know  for  centuries,  this  product  has  faced 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


A DESERT  WHICH  IS  NOT  ALL  DESERT— FROM  DOS  PALMS  TO  PRES- 
COTT—SENSATIONS  ON  THE  DESERT — A SOUTHERN  MOON 
— SAND-STORMS — A CITY  OF  THE  DESERT— BREATHING  AIR 
— SILVER  THREADS  AND  GOLDEN  NUGGETS. 


IIE  term  “desert”  is  a misnomer,  we  are  com- 


pelled to  believe,  even  in  this  early  stage  of  the 
Territory’s  history.  As  widely  significant  as  this 
word  may  be  applied,  we  seem  to  be  drawing  too 
liberally  upon  its  application. 

With  the  name  “desert”  has  always  been  associated 
visions  of  the  most  weird  nature. 

Right  here,  the  article  headed  “ A defence  of  the 
desert”  which  appeared  in  the  Yuma  Sentinel  of  April 
6th,  1878,  and  which  so  graphically  describes,  and  so 
thoroughly  comprehends  the  leading  features  of  the 
deserts  (so  called)  of  both  Arizona  and  California,  we 
give  below  : 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


117 


It  has  become  a custom  to  look  upon  the  desert, 
lying  between  the  Colorado  .River  and  the  Coast 
Mountains  of  California,  as  upon  an  abomination  of 
desolation — utterly  without  value,  void  of  beauty,  and 
incapable  of  supporting  any  kind  of  life.  This  im- 
pression was  heightened  in  the  mint!  of  the  former 
traveler  to  Arizona,  by  the  birds- eye  view  of  the  des- 
ert afforded  him  from  the  mountains  at  its  western 
edge;  the  clear  atmosphere  increases  the  range  of  vis- 
ion ; altitude  and  distance  absorb  detail  and  blend 
color,  till  the  desert  appears  a silent,  lifeless  monotone 
of  russet  gray.  He  braced  himself  up  to  repel  the  awe 
with  which  this  view  invariably  inspired  him  ; tradi- 
tions of  the  Sahara,  of  caravans  dying  of  thirst  or 
buried  by  sand-storms,  and  a sense  of  danger,  closed 
his  mind  to  all  appreciations  of  the  desert’s  peculiar 
beauties,  or  observation  of  its  value  to  man.  lie 
hailed  with  glad  relief  the  green  willows  of  the  Colo- 
rado, and  on  his  return  to  civilization,  added  his  testi- 
mony to  other  travelers’  tales  about  the  horrors  of  the 
desert.  The  modern  traveler  crosses  it  by  rail,  he 
strikes  it  after  dark,  turns  into  a sleeping  car,  gets  an 
early  breakfast  at  Yuma — and  he  too  adds  to  the 
stories  of  the  desert  perils.  Men  have  died  on  this 


118 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


desert,  of  thirst  and  heat ; but  so  do  they  die  in  New 
York  State  of  hunger  and  cold.  The  man  without 
water  dies  as  surely  in  a sand-drift,  as  he  without  food 
does  in  drifts  of  snow.  The  latter  make  a blinding, 
leafless,  lifeless,  monotonous  desert  of  white,  by  far 
more  fatal  to  man  than  is  San  Diego’s  desert  of  sand, 
with  its  varying  tints  and  invigorating  air. 

The  perfect  health  of  station-keepers,  railroad  men 
and  other  inhabitants  of  the  desert,  amply  proves  its 
climatic  suitability  to  man’s  residence.  To  carry  mails 
and  passengers,  it  became  necessary  to  dig  wTells  at 
proper  intervals  along  the  stage  road;  palatable  water 
was  found  at  depths  varying  from  twenty  to  sixty  fret. 
The  railroad  companj^has  bored  artesian  wells  and  was 
rewarded  by  a copious  flow  of  water. 

Agriculture  has  been  tried,  notably  at  Toros;  fine 
crops  of  grain,  vegetables,  fruits  and  alfalfa  have  re- 
paid the  application  of  water  and  labor  to  the  soil  of 
the  desert.  There  are  stretches  of  shifting  sand-dunes 
apparently  as  worthless  and  extensive,  as  were  those 
around  San  Francisco;  these  may  never  be  reclaimed 
— nor  will  those  to  the  northwest  of  Guadalupe,  in 
Santa  Barbara  County.  There  are  great  plains,  called 
“playas,”  of  a deep,  unctuous,  black  soil,  as  heavy  and 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


119 


rich  as  the  adobe  lands  around  Stockton.  Every  one 
who  has  traversed  them  after  the  rain,  will  recollect  the 
masses  of  mud  that  clung  to  his  wheels.  Where  irri- 
gation is  not  possible,  the  date-palm,  the  paper-fibre- 
yucca  and  other  desert-loving  plants  will  reward  man’s 
enterprise.  Growing  of  dates  here  is  yet  an  untried 
experiment,  whose  success  is  predicated  upon  results 
obtained  on  the  deserts  of  Asia  and  Africa.  The 
manufacture  of  paper-stock  from  yucca  is  an  estab- 
lished industry,  employing  many  men  and  consider- 
ble  machinery.  Over  sixteen  hundred  square  miles  of 
this  area  lie  below  the  level  of  the  Colorado  River, 
and  can  be  irrigated  from  its  waters.  Most  of  its  soil 
is  alluvial  and  enriched  with  shells  and  other  products 
of  the  sea  that  once  stormed  above  it.  These  shells 
are  seen  in  the  greatest  profusion  by  the  most  superfi- 
cial observer  ; the  scientist  has  classified  them  in  great 
variety. 

Just  as  not  all  of  the  desert  is  a waste  of  sand,  so  is 
not  all  of  it  fit  for  agriculture.  Rocks  and  mountains 
here  assert  themselves  in  about  the  same  proportion 
that  they  do  in  other  countries.  But  these  are  far 
from  valueless ; this  fact  is  being  daily  demonstrated 
as  men  begin  to  realize  that  the  desert  offers  some. 


120 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


thing  worth  looking  for.  Quartz-mills  and  smelting 
furnaces  have  already  been  erected  on  the  desert 
mines  of  Ivanpah,  Resting  Springs  and  elsewhere  on 
its  western  edge.  Silver,  lead  and  copper  occur  there 
in  ores  rich  enough  to  excite  the  wonder  of  miners. 
Asbestos  of  remarkably  long  fibre  is  found  near  the 
San  Gorgonio  Pass.  Gold  occurs  on  its  eastern  edge 
in  quantities  great  enough  to  have  caused  the  cele- 
brated Colorado  River  excitement  of  1861  ; and  mines 
of  it  are  still  worked  at  Chimney  Peak  and  Carga 
Muchacho.  Lead,  silver  and  copper  also  occur  as 
abundantly  on  this  side,  as  on  the  western  side  of  the 
desert.  These  facts  give  credibility  to  reports  of  rich 
discoveries  in  mid-desert,  made  by  prospectors  too 
poor  to  develop  mines  at  a distance  from  natural 
waters.  Immense  deposits  of  pure  salt  have  been  dis- 
covered by  railroad  surveyors  and  other  explorers. 
The  railroad  company  is  now  endeavoring  to  build  up 
a trade  in  supplying  salt  to  the  Arizona  silver-mills. 
The  northern  arm  of  this  desert  furnishes  beds  of 
borax  so  large  that  the  markets  of  the  world  are 
glutted  with  it;  so  large  that  their  produce  reduced 
the  price  from  fifty  cents  per  pound  to  eight  and  twelve 
in  a few  years.  Borax  occurs  in  quantity  in  the 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


121 


vicinity  of  Seven  Wells  and  other  points  nearer  Yuma, 
whence  beautiful  crystals  of  it  have  been  obtained. 
Gypsum  is  a common  product  of  the  desert,  widely 
diffused;  flakes  of  selenite  are  found  in  nearly  all  the 
canons  coming  in  from  the  West,  while  great  masses 
of  this  lovely  mineral  are  found  at  many  points. 
Pumice-stone  of  excellent  quality  is  found  on  the  rail- 
road and  in  many  other  places;  thousands  of  tons  of 
it  lie  piled  in  masses;  the  engineers  are  now  using  it 
for  polishing  their  locomotives.  Sulphur  is  found  in 
banks  rivaling  those  of  northern  California  in  size  and 
purity.  All  Yuma  remembers  the  beautiful  speci- 
mens of  it  that  Dan  Connor  used  to  bring  in.  The 
southern  arm  of  the  desert,  running  down  into  Sonora, 
has  beds  of  soda  from  which  vessels  were  loaded,  on 
their  return  trips  from  Guaymas  to  Europe;  similar 
beds  are  found  in  other  portions  of  it.  Thermal 
springs,  sulphur  and  chalybeate,  occur  in  many  parts, 
as  do  those  of  warm,  bubbling,  medicated  mud ; the 
Indians  well  know  their  healing  properties  in  all  forms 
of  rheumatism,  and  of  skin  and  venereal  diseases. 
Potter’s  clay  is  abundant  enough;  while  decomposi- 
tion of  feldspathic  rocks  has  given  the  desert  beds  of 
kaolin,  extensive  enough  to  rival  those  of  Dresden  or 


122 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


Sevres.  But  we  must  have  recounted  enough  of  the 
desert’s  resources,  to  satisfy  the  average  reader  that  it 
is  far  from  being  utterly  valueless. 

The  desert  has  features  of  beauty — God  has  made 
nothing  without  them.  At  daylight,  refraction  lifts 
and  distorts  the  horizon  in  changing  and  pleasing 
forms;  later  it  delights  the  fancy  with  mirages  of 
scenery  more  beautiful  than  this  world  has  ever  real- 
ized; twilight  bathes  all  in  cheerful  tints  that  distance 
blends  to  a soft  purple,  never  to  be  forgotten.  Dis- 
tant mountains  cut  the  pure  air  with  sharp  outlines 
that  add  much  to  the  scenic  effect.  The  sun  rises  on 
a cloudless  sky  in  a flood  of  rosy  light;  it  sinks  in 
golden  glory.  Every  rain  biings  forth  galleta  and 
other  grasses  to  show  that  the  desert  is  not  an  ab- 
solute barren  ; spring  adorns  it  with  flowers  of  deli- 
cate beauty  and  of  remarkable  fragrance.  Our  “ azu- 
cena”  is  only  the  original,  uncultivated  tuberose,  and 
many  more  of  these  desert  flowers  will  yet  be  de- 
veloped into  choice  exotics  for  eastern  hot-houses. 
The  lover  of  nature  will  be  pleased  with  the  variety 
and  novelty  of  desert  Flora ; the  utilitarian  will  be 
surprised  to  learn  their  many  uses. 

The  desert  is  not  a solitude ; life  abounds  in  it ; 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


123 


beast,  birds,  reptiles  and  insects  occur  in  quantity  sur- 
prising to  one  who  knows  the  scarcity  of  surface 
water.  Babbits,  hares  and  coyotes  seem  to  be  the 
largest  animals,  but  chipmonks,  gophers  and  moles 
appear  to  be  most  abundant;  the  ground  is  honey- 
corned  with  their  homes.  All  of  them  are  found  as 
far  as  twenty,  or  more  miles  from  any  known  water. 
In  other  parts  of  California,  the  presence  of  quails  in- 
dicates proximity  of  water;  this  is  not  so  on  the  des- 
ert, where  large  flocks  are  found  very  far  from  water. 
The  buzzing  of  honey -gathering  flies  or  bees,  lulls  to 
sleep  him  who  reposes  under  the  palo- verde  or  iron- 
wood.  Mocking-birds  and  other  songsters  enliven  the 
vicinity  of  water,  and  ruby-throated  humming-birds 
suck  its  flowers.  Most  of  these  desert  denizens  are  of 
nocturnal  habits;  the  hot  sun  drives  them  to  shade  by 
day.  Ravens  and  crows  seem  to  live  on  lizards,  which 
in  turn  live  on  flies  and  ants  that  are  abroad  only  by 
daylight.  But  on  moonlight  nights  the  others  turn 
out  in  vast  numbers.  Reptiles  are  numerous,  but  we 
have  never  heard  of  any  one  being  hurt  by  them.  A 
tortoise  is  common  here,  which  grows  among  rocks 
and  sand  to  a weight  of  twenty-five  pounds,  and  is 
eaten  by  some  Indians. 


124 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


The  winter  climate  of  the  desert  is  good;  the  ther- 
mometer rarely  falls  to  40°  and  rarely  reaches  80°. 
The  air  is  pure  and  dry  as  that  of  high  mountains, 
while  its  low  elevation  (in  some  parts  below  sea-level) 
makes  it  less  rarified — it  has  more  oxygen  to  the  same 
bulk,  and  no  gasping  is  caused  to  the  invalid  with 
half  a lung.  In  summer  the  heat  is  high,  but  dry  and 
not  oppressive ; rapid  evaporation  keeps  the  skin  cool. 
Perspiration  is  constant;  this  benefits  invalids  in 
whom  unimpeded  functions  of  the  skin  may  relieve 
diseases  of  kidneys  or  lungs. 

A man  who  has  lived  out  on  the  desert  is  always 
glad  to  go  back,  if  he  can  be  assured  of  comfort  and 
company.  Its  charms  are  indescribable,  but  most 
men  succumb  to  them  as  soon  as  they  get  off  their 
guard  against  imaginary  dangers. 

I shall  never  forget  my  experience  on  going  over  a 
portion  of  this  very  desert  described,  of  Mojave  in 
Arizona,  on  my  way  from  Dos  Palms  in  California,  to 
Prescott  the  capital  of  Arizona.  It  was  a matter  of 
three  daj^s’  and  three  nights'  ride.  I remember  with 
what  visions  I took  my  seat  beside  the  driver  on  top 
the  overland  stage  coach.  I think  in  the  few  minutes 
that  elapsed  between  my  taking  iny  seat  and  the  shout 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


125 


of  the  driver  “ nil  aboard,”  all  the  agonizing  tales  of 
starvation  and  thirst,  of  sun-stroke,  and  suffocation 
from  sand  storms,  of  desolation  and  suffering  that  had 
ever  come  to  me  from  the  Sahara,  filled  my  brain  with 
an  anxiety  of  ihe  deepest  interest.  It  was  midniglit 
of  a bright,  moonlight  niglit,  and  as  tlie  stage  rolled 
off,  the  pleasing  jolt  I thought,  knocked  all  unpleas- 
ant anticipations  out  of  me.  The  rarity  of  the  atmos- 
phere, which  is  proverbial  with  these  deserts  of  our 
South,  brought  the  distant  mountains  many  miles 
away,  so  near  that  one  would  fancy  he  could  reach 
them  in  an  hour;  while  those  hundreds  of  miles 
away,  could  be  seen  distinctly  with  the  naked  eye. 
The  lurid  glare  of  the  southern  Moon  added  something 
to  this  charming  feature.  I commenced  counting  the 
stars  and  comparing  the  different  outlines  of  the 
mountains,  while  the  turbulent  grating  of  the  wheels 
in  the  sand  began  to  be  a music  to  the  already  ecstatic 
condition  of  my  nerves.  Occasionally  the  low  whin- 
ing howl  of  the  coyote  would  relieve  the  quiet,  and 
a breeze  would  gently  play  with  the  sand,  which  was 
a pleasant  substitute  in  sound  for  the  gentle  “whispers 
through  the  trees.”  Although  a “ caravan  over  the 
dreary  desert,”  my  time  had  been  so  interestingly 


126 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


spent  that  I was  amazed  when  the  silver  grey,  streak- 
ing the  outline  of  the  mountains  behind  us,  betokened 
the  approach  of  the  morning  ; and  subsequently,  when 
at  10  o’clock  we  reached  the  station  for  breakfast,  the 
whole  thing  had  began  to  savor  strongly  of  a picnic 
to  me — located  as  the  station  was,  between  several  lone 
mountain  peaks,  grown  right  up  out  of  the  level  sandy 
mesa,  and  sternly  lifting  themselves  to  hundreds  of 
feet  in  height.  These  lone  peaks  and  mounts  which 
everywhere  throw  themselves  up  out  of  the  plains  of 
the  southwest,  are  a feature  of  leading  interest  to  the 
traveler.  Like  brilliant  croppings  of  a sterile  mind 
they  redeem  their  grosser  surroundings,  and  by 
their  pleasing  contrasts,  the  whole  is  leavened  and 
the  glory  of  the  Maker  is  verified  in  the  very  thing  we 
dubbed  as  useless;  and  the  “good  in  all  things,” 
again  proved. 

The  name  of  the  station  was  Canyon  Springs.  It 
was  a good  initiation  to  travel.  I cannot  do  better 
justice  to  the  imagination  of  man  than  to  simply  give 
him  figures  and  allow  him  to  draw  his  own  conclu- 
sions. The  population  of  the  place  consisted  of  three ; 
dogs — one,  donkeys — one,  men — one.  The  man  he 
fed  us.  The  dog  he  barked  for  us,  and  the  donkey  he 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA 


127 


looked  at  us.  The  thermometer  stood  120°  Fahr. 
For  breakfast  we  had  ham,  potatoes,  coffee  without 
mlik  or  sugar,  and  bread  without  butter.  Price  one  dol- 
lar. This  is  a desert  hotel ; and  it  was  better  than  those 
often  encountered — worse  than  some  few.  Seated  on 
a plank  board  laid  across  two  home-made  “horses,” 
with  a table  composed  of  the  same  elements,  we  broke 
our  fast,  relished  it,  and  did  not  begrudge  the  man  his 
dollar.  Milk  and  butter  are  very  scarce  on  the  des- 
erts— in  many  cases  not  to  be  had  at  all.  We  had 
come  fifteen  miles  since  our  departure  from  Dos 
Palms  at  two  in  the  morning.  Our  appetites  were 
good ; and  the  refreshment  received  from  the  meal, 
the  reader  will  not  be  able  to  comprehend  nor  appre- 
ciate except  he  has  not  only  ridden  across  the  plains 
in  a stage  coach,  but  actually  done  so  in  Southern 
California  or  Arizona.  The  translucent  atmosphere 
and  the  mineral  properties  of  the  climate  which,  on 
this  occasion  seemed  to  excel  any  ever  previously 
experienced  by  me,  are  characteristic  onty  of  this  or 
like  locations.  The  alkalies,  mixed  with  the  pungent 
odors  which  the  wild  shrubs  and  flowers  sent  out, 
acted  alike  as  powerful  invigorators  and  narcotics.  I 
have  ridden  over  some  of  these  desert — so  called — lo- 


128 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


cations  when  each  inhalation  seemed  to  give  a special 
vigor.  It  would  seem  that  you  were  breathing  a sub- 
stance rather  than  air.  There  is  nothing  sluggisli  in 
it ; but  a clear,  buoyant,  pungent  element  of  vigor 
and  strength. 

Refreshed,  and  full  of  the  California  vim,  the  trav- 
eler looks  at  the  surrounding  mountains  and  craves  to 
pull  them  down  and  extract  the  precious  lucre  con- 
tained within  their  folds.  He  sees  in  his  mind’s  eye,  the 
shining  nugget  or  the  brilliant  threads  of  silver,  and 
listens  to  a fellow  traveler  narrate  the  golden  stories 
of  his  success  in  prospecting,  or  of  some  thrilling  inci- 
dent of  mountain  life  with  the  Indians,  or  hair  breadth 
escape,  or  of  his  misfortune;  while  the  coach  wheels 
right  here  are  plodding  through  six  or  eight  inches  of 
heavy  sand,  and  causing  a noise  resembling  very  much 
a steamboat  blowing  off  its  steam. 

It  was  on  this  very  trip  that  I had  the  wonderful 
fai^-like  story  of  the  great  “Stonewall  Jackson” 
silver  mine  told  to  me.  And  it  continued  to  seem  like 
a tale  of  golden  fleece  until  under  subsequent  and 
very  thrilling  circumstances,  I actually  came  in  con- 
tact with  the  original  discoverer  and  owner  of  it,  Cap- 
tain Chas.  McMillen,  after  whom  one  of  the  richest 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


129 


mining  districts  in  the  world  is  named.  This  is  the 
McMillen  Mining  District  of  Arizona.  Of  both  these 
districts  and  a detailed  history  of  its  discovery  by  the 
great  prospector  McMillen,  an  account  will  be  given 
in  a separate  chapter. 

On  the  following  morning,  October  7th,  1877,  we 
reached  and  crossed  the  Colorado  at  early  morn,  amid 
a halo  of  a semi-tropical  sun.  It  was  my  first  intro- 
duction to  Arizona.  The  occasion  will  never  b£  for- 
gotton  by  me,  and  to  me  Arizona  to-day  has  a pecu- 
liar charm.  First  impressions  are  the  strongest  they 
say. 


4 


CHAPTER  IX. 


MINING  CAPITAL  IN  ARIZONA— THE  “ MCCRACKEN  ’’—THE  “ HAN- 
NIBAL”— THE  “ STONEWALL  JACKSON  ” — THE  GREAT  PROS- 
PECTORS, MCMILLEN  AND  FLOURNOY — “DEAD  BROKE” — 
CINNABAR,  COPPER,  AND  TIN— ARIZONA  ! WHY  SO  LONG 
LAIN  MUTE? 

UP  to  January  1st  1874,  American  mining  capital 
in  Arizona  had  never  even  paid  expenses.  Bear- 
ing this  in  mind,  the  traveler  is  struck  by  the  marvel 
in  the  last  four  years.  During  this  time  there  has 
been  many  mines  opened,  and  some  of  them  paying 
large  dividends.  Bearing  in  mind  these  facts,  it  was  a 
a matter  of  some  surprise  to  me  when  coming  down 
the  Colorado  on  one  of  the  Col.  River  Navigation  Co’s 
boats,  to  find  fourteen  bars  of  silver  bullion,  repre- 
senting in  the  aggregate  a value  of  about  twenty 
thousand  dollars.  This  was  from  the  McCracken 
mine  in  Mojave  county.  My  surprise  gave  way  to 
satisfaction,  when  I learned  from  Mr.  Burke,  the  pur- 
ser, that  this  was  getting  to  be  “quite  a common 
occurrence  along  the  river  now,”  and  I then  con- 
cluded, as  I had  before  surmised,  that  there  was  yet 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


131 


a land  where  the  old  spirit  of  ’49  might  find  a new 
vent.  The  ambitious  have  now  a chance  to  revive 
the  old  spirit  of  early  California  without  doubt.  They 
have  an  opportunity  of  vindicating  their  pluck  now, 
and  their  fortunes  too,  in  this  land  of  the  Apaches. 

What  an  advent  is  there  already  in  the  history  of 
Arizona.  An  advent  too,  I must  say,  without  much 
of  the  vicissitudes  of  transition.  A writer  on  Arizona 
four  years  ago,  in  noticing  the  primitive  and  unsatis- 
factory way  mining  was  carried  on  there  bj7  the  Mexi- 
cans, thought  that  a change  could  not  be  accomplished 
without  serious  results.  I must  say  my  observation 
in  Arizona  was,  that  this  is  the  most  peaceable  tran- 
sition I ever  witnessed.  And  Arizona  now  affords, 
to  the  followers  of  ’49,  an  acquisition  of  all  their 
cherished  hopes  over  again,  without  the  attending 
vicissitudes  and  hardships  of  that  period. 

After  having  crossed  the  Colorado  Eiver  at  Ehren- 
berg,  and  going  east,  information  comes  to  you  thick 
and  fast  of  the  future  prospects  of  this  section,  and  of 
the  very  flattering  one  of  the  region  round  abopt  Pres 
cott.  You  hear  of  the  “ McCracken  ” mine  which  now, 
and  in  a space  of  only  two  years,  has  a fifty  stamp  mill 
on  the  grounds,  extensive  tunnels,  with  shafts  down 


132 


TICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


fifty  to  seventy  five  feet,  and  producing  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars  per  month.  Leaving  the  McCracken 
mine  and  the  Hope  district  to  the  northwest,  you  are 
approaching  the  Ilassayampa  district  near  Prescott, 
where  it  is  said  genuine  black  metal  is  reached  at  a 
depth  of  seven  feet.  This  region  of  rich  silver  de- 
posit near  Prescott,  is  the  second  in  the  vast  mineral 
belt  extending  from  the  extreme  southeast  corner,  to 
the  northwest  corner  of  the  Territory.  Some  distance 
before  reaching  Prescott,  you  pass  the  abandoned 
works  of  the  famous  Vulture  mines,  in  which  aban- 
donment, is  again  re-echoed  the  too  often  repeated 
story  of  the  attacks  and  murders  by  the  Indians. 
This  is  the  story  with  all  like  cases  of  abandonment  of 
mines  in  the  Territory,  and  they  abound  on  every 


hand.  The  country  is  full  of  them,  and  invariably 
the  Indians  are  the  cause. 


The  mines  themselves  never  give  out,  it  is  said — a 
peculiar  feature  of  the  mines  in  Arizona  and  the  south- 
west. This  remark  would  seem  to  be  substantiated 
in  an  opinion  once  given  by  Professor  Ehrenberg,  that 
there  was  a continuous  range  of  gold  bearing  rock 
from  the  Vulture  mine  to  a point  ten  miles  north  of 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


133 


Prescott,  embracing  an  area  of  at  least  one  thousand 
square  miles. 

We  are  now  in  the  region  too,  which  promises  to 
turn  out  its  vast  quantities  of  cinnabar;  and  also  in  a 
region  where  the  old  pastimes  of  picking  up  nug- 
gets, threatens  to  draw  those  less  willing  to  work*  or 
dig.  To  the  southeast  again,  along  this  same  con- 
tinued belt  of  rich  mineral,  over  the  Mazabjml  range, 
you  enter  the  “Globe”  and  “ Pioneer”  districts,  to  de- 
termine the  richer  of  which,  would  puzzle  the  most 
careful  and  stoic  calculator.  In  this  district  is  the  fa- 
mous “ Stonewell  Jackson  ” discovered  by  the  great 
prospector  McMillen.  The  history  of  this  mine  is 
well  known,  and  is  being  perpetuated  in  the  minds 
and  memories  of  men  as  one  of  the  leading  events  in 
the  history  of  mines  in  the  Territory.  The  mine  was 
discovered  in  1874,  and  shortly  after  the  discoverer 
sold  it  for  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  dollars. 
No  sooner  hod  he  sold  it,  than  word  reached  his  ears 
that  the  parties  who  purchased  it  would  have  given 
him  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  had  it 
been  necessary  to  obtain  it ; and  also,  that  others  be- 
hind them  again  stood  ready  to  give  three  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  rather  than  not  obtain  it.  A shaft 


134 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


in  these  mines,  down  only  ninety  feet  gave  ore  run- 
ning as  high  as  twenty  four  thousand  dollars  to  the 
ton  in  ’76.  It  is  said  that  since  the  purchase,  the 
mine  has  been  estimated  to  be  worth  eight  millions 
of  dollars. 

At  such  events  as  these,  having  cast  off  diamonds, 
supposing  them  to  be  simply  brilliant  pebbles,  many  a 
man  with  a less  courageous  heart  and  a less  liberal 
mind  would  have  sunk  under  what  they  would  have 
misconstrued  as  a reversion.  But  with  the  sturdy 
heart  and  the  rapier  judgment  of  a pioneer,  it  was  not 
so  with  McMillen.  He  had  “greater  things  in  view” 
as  he  told  me,  when  I afterwards  made  his  acquain- 
tance, and  was  talking  with  him  on  the  subject  of  his 
mines  and  prospects  in  Arizona.  Said  McMillen  to 
me  in  his  quaint  way,  but  more  practicable  philosophy, 
“You  see,  Mr.  Conklin,  a thing  in  my  estimation,  has 
no  real  — no  intrinsic  value.  It  has  only  a com- 
parative one,  and  is  governed  entirely  by  the  relative 
value  of  the  things  surrounding,  or  immediately  asso- 
ciated with  it  Well  ! but,  by  the  way,  don’t  you 

think  so,  my  friend?  ” inquired  this  determined  min- 
er interrupting  himself. 

I saw  at  once  the  sharp,  practical  ability  of  this 


A MINER’S  VICISSITUDES  IN  ARIZONA, 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


137 


mountaineer,  and  felt,  as  lias  often  been  my  wont  to 
feel  when  in  contact  with  some  of  the  brilliant  minds 
of  our  frontiersmen,  that  there  was  a comprehension 
of  facts  there  that  I myself  might  profit  by  ; and  in 
my  anxiety  to  grasp  and  retain  the  full  meaning  and 
force  that  lit  up  his  penetrating  eye  as  he  finished,  I 
simply  said : — 

u Yes,  I think  so.”  I was  waiting:  for  some  brilliant 
exposition  of  this  man’s  experience,  which  I had  so 
often  got  from  the  pioneers  of  our  frontier  country. 

u Well ! You  see,”  continued  he,  “ I had  been  rov- 
ing about  this  country  and  in  these  mountains  ever 
since  ’55,  when  I struck  this  little  affair  up  here  that 
we  are  talking  about.  I had  put  my  foot  on  several 
others  and  I'm  keeping  it  there  for  a while  ” added  lie, 
with  a twinkle  in  his  eye,  u I had  put  my  foot  on 
some  others  I say,  and  better  ones.  But  I thought 
this  little  one  would  do  to  raise  some  money  on  to 
work  the  rest.  You  see  I was  broke — dead  broke. 
Couldn’t  get  trusted  for  an  onion  or  a slice  of  bacon  ; 
had  to  wash  the  only  shirt  I had  to  rny  name,  and  had 
to  sit  under  a bush  in  the  shade  while  the  shirt  was 
drying  on  top  in  the  sun.  I wanted  money  to  devel- 
op and  open  up  my  other  mines ; and  T would  have 


138 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


taken — (here  McMillen’s  hand  came  down  on  his  knee 
with  a powerful  thump)  I would  have  taken  half  the 
amount  I got,  if  I couldn’t  have  got  what  I did. 
although  I knew  the  mine  itself  was  worth  more.” 

The  whole  course  of  operation  and  the  politic  man- 
ner and  means  of  securing  the  success  of  such  opera- 
tions, showed  itself  to  me  at  once.  I had  now  become 
interested  in  both  the  mines  and  the  miner. 

“ 1 suppose  then,  you  are  now  opening  up  some  of 
your  new  mines,”  said  I. 

“Well,  that  depends  upon  what  you  call  ‘opening 
up.’  We  are  just  sending  down  fifty  thousand  dollars 
worth  of  machinery  to  commence  on  — mj'  partner, 
Mr.  Flournoy  and  myself.  We  are  now  at  work  on 
the  ‘ Hannibal.’  * This  is  an  extension  of  the  ‘ Stone- 
wall Jackson  ’ lode,  and  we  expect  to  show  the  Stone- 
wall people  that — well!  that  they  might  have  got 
more  for  their  money,  if  the  Stonewall  had  extended 
along  over  the  Hannibal.” 

“But  how  many  mines  have  you  discovered  in 
all?”  inquired  I. 

“Let  me  see  ” said  he  thoughtfully.  “ There  is  the 
‘Stonewall  Jackson,’ the  ‘Florence,’  the  ‘ Alenaden  ’ 


* The  “ Hannibal  ” is  now  one  of  the  richest  mines  in  Arizona. 


CHARLES  M’MILLEN.  JOSIAH  FLOURNOY 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


141 


the  ‘ Little  Mac,’  the  ‘ Lee,’  the  ‘ 220  ’ and,  last  but  not 
least,  the  ‘Hannibal.’  Oh!  Yes,  there  is  another 
one,  the  ‘ First  N.  E.  Extension  to  the  Hannibal’  — 
eight  in  all.  There  are  a few  others,  but  I don’t  re- 
call them  at  present.” 

The  perseverance,  indomitable  pluck  and  persis- 
tency of  these  two  men,  are  fair  types  of  what  Arizona 
wants  for  her  development;  and  in  both  their  faces 
may  be  detected  force  of  character,  and  that  power  of 
will  that  can  “ remove  mountains,”  as  well  as  the  gold 
and  silver  that  is  in  them.  Mr.  Flournoy  is  a native 
of  Georgia  and  is  a man  whose  popularity  in  Arizona 
is  making  him  a fast  and  sure  exponent  of  the  devel- 
opment of  that  Territory.  His  sterling  integrity  has 
become  proverbial.  With  Mi'.  McMillen’s  indefatiga- 
ble ability  as  an  original  and  successful  prospector, 
and  Mr.  Flournoy’s  qualifications  for  disciplining  and 
working  a mine,  a complete  success  is  insured. 

Southeast  again,  into  the  Santa  Ritas,  and  the  Oro 
Blanco,  districts  we  strike  the  “ last  but  not  least  ” of 
the  mines  of  this  great  natural  metalliferous  belt,  which 
lies  within  the  boundary  of  Arizona.  We  say  “last 
Dut  not  least,”  and  support  our  claim  with  substantial 
evidence  ; for  in  a continuous  course  of  these  moun- 


142 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


tains  over  the  boundary  line,  and  into  Sonora,  you 
have  what  is,  and  has  long  been  known  as  the  greatest 
silver  bearing  country  on  the  North  American  Conti- 
nent. In  this  section,  a little  to  the  east  of  the  Santa 
Cruz  valley,  is  the  famous  placer  mines,  long  known 
to  exist,  in  and  around  the  Baboguivari  Mountains. 
These  stories  are  brought  to  us  with  the  name  of  Col. 
J.  D.  Graham,  another  of  Arizona’s  matchless  pioneers 
and  prospectors.  Colonel  Graham  was  ope  of  the  first 
explorers  and  discoverers  of  this  wild  and  rugged  re- 
gion, and  knows  this  country  “by  the  inch,”  as  a 
traveling  companion  once  remarked  to  me,  and  as 
subsequent  facts  concerning  the  developments,  in  the 
whole  southwest  given  in  another  chapter,  will  fully 
demonstrate.  It  is  said  that  this  bold  and  daring  pio- 
neer, when  only  twenty-two  years  of  age,  traveled  on 
horse-back  from  the  interior  of  Mexico  to  Arizona 
and  California  on  special  missions  of  trust.  I will 
refer  to  the  results  of  this  man’s  accomplishments  in 
a separate  chapter  devoted  to  me  opening  up  and. 
wonderful  developments  of  the  southwest  and  its 
mines.  The  progress  Arizona  has  made  within  the 
past  few  years,  may  be  realized  to  some  extent,  by  the 
fact  that  in  1877,  she  yielded  up  over  four  millions  of 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


143 


dollars  in  gold  and  silver.  As  a substantial  defense 
for  Arizona  and  her  mines,  the  American  Cyclopedia 
comes  forth  and  says : — 

“No  one  of  the  mineral  bearing  Territories  of  the 
Pacific  slope  is  richer  than  Arizona,  though  the  mines 
have  not  been  generally  worked.” 

Like  stories,  we  have  said  confront  the  traveler  on 
every  hand  in  Arizona;  and  the  most  of  them  are  sub- 
stantiated upon  better  acquaintance.  Not  only  in  re- 
lation to  gold  and  silver  are  they  confined  ; but  minerals 
of  most  all  known  usefulness  are  being  discovered. 
Many  such  cases  lie  dormant  for  means  of  transporta- 
tion. With  the  introduction  of  the  steam  car  and  rail, 
a great  “blockade”  will  be  raised,  and  Arizona  will 
flood  the  world  with  its  riches.  Our  “ Emma  ” mines 
will  never  rise  to  the  surface  again,  and  our  “ Crown 
Points”  and  “ Consolidated  Virginias  ” will  sink  much 
below.  Even  now  it  is  a noted  fact  that  mines  which 
would  receive  much  attention  further  north,  are  al- 
lowed to  lie  undisturbed  here.  Copper  enough  exists 
in  the  mountain  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  Territory, 
to  cause  one  man  alone  to  say  that  if  he  had  railroad 
facilities,  he  would  employ  one  thousand  men  in  his 
mine.  This  is  in  the  southeastern  part  of  Yavapai 


144 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


County.  In  another  section  evidences  of  tin  are  re- 
ported. Tin  has  never  been  discovered  within  the 
limits  of  the  United  States ; but  it  is  of  such  importance 
that  the  government  has  offered  a large  reward  to  the 
discoverer  of  it.  The  probabilities  for  Arizona  being 
the  favored  field  are  not  without  good  foundation. 
South,  in  Sonora  County,  Mexico,  tin  has  already  been 
discovered  in  good  paying  quantities,  but,  like  many 
good  mineral  products  in  this  vastly  rich  location, 
they  are  allowed  to  lie  dormant  for  want  of  sufficient 
energy  in  the  people,  or  protection  from  their  govern- 
ment, to  work  them.  The  species  here  found  consists 
of  both  nugget  and  stream  tin.  I have  several  speci- 
mens of  both  of  these,  presented  me  by  the  Geologist, 
Prof.  Cummings  Cherry,  of  Chicago,  who  has  always 
been  largely  interested  in,  and  an  enthusiast  over  the 
richness  of  this  whole  section.  Now  ! Sonora  County, 
Mexico,  borders  on  Arizona  ; and  this  explains  why 
we  can,  with  considerable  reason,  hope  that  Arizona 
will  give  our  country  this  long-coveted  possesion. 

These  are  the  incentives — these  are  the  allurers — 
these  are  the  encouraging  influences  that  take  men 
from  their  homes  and  make  them  dare  their  happiness, 
their  homes,  their  lives,  their  all,  and  too  often  for  the 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


145 


after  good  of  others.  But  so  it  is.  So,  does  nature 
again  cunningly  assert  herself  and  say,  “ ’tis  better  to 
give  than  to  receive,”  when  a sturdy,  honest  pioneer 
discovers  a rich  bonanza,  holds  it  awhile  from  the  rav- 
ages of  the  Indians,  is  finally  murdered,  and  one  of 
his  less  bold  and  daring  brothers  comes  and  reaps  the 
reward.  Many  a remnant  of  a mining  camp  will  tell 
the  same  story.  But  the  American  is  indefatigable. 
Many  may  be  slain,  but  as  many  more  will  rise  to  fill 
their  places;  and  again  that  theory  identified:  that 
man  does  inevitably  follow  and  profit  by  his  fellows’ 
toil,  and  that  we  were  made  to  serve  each  other.  Sym- 
pathy rarely  finds  its  vent  for  the  hardy  pioneer  and 
frontiers-man,  or  at  best,  ne’er  gives  the  sympathy  due. 

There  are  some,  however,  who  have  escaped,  to  reap 
their  own  harvest,  and  to  tell  of  their  vicissitudes. 
From  these  we  can  better  get  some  of  the  more  fla- 
grant causes  for  the  failure  of  those  who  do  not  live 
to  tell  their  own. 

In  a previous  chapter  we  had  occasion  by  dint  of 
narrative,  to  simply  refer  to  the  “Stonewall  Jackson  ” 
Mine  and  the  richness  of  the  McMillen  Mining  Dis- 
trict. These  narratives  of  golden  fleece  and  shining 
nuggets  being  so  rife  in  Arizona,  entertaining  the 


140 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


traveler  on  any  and  every  trip  or  route  he  may  pro- 
pose or  select,  one  can  scarcely  avoid  asking  the  ques- 
tion why,  if  all  these  stories  are  true  concerning  the 
mines  of  Arizona,  and  their  richness,  they  have  not 
already  been  worked.  I have  been  asked  these  ques- 
tions myself  over  and  over  again  ; and  after  narrating 
what  I saw,  and  having  converted  by  actual  knowl- 
edge, those  fairy -like  stories  into  absolute  existences 
concerning  the  fabulous  wealth  of  her  mines,  I would 
here  offer  a defence  for  Arizona,  for  the  seeming  lack 
in  her  mining  developments. 

To  those  who  would  ask  the  question,  I would  offset 
their  interrogative  by  asking  them  why  the  unsur- 
mountable  conditions  and  the  natural  force  of  circum- 
stances had  not  long  ago  been  abolished,  and  Arizona 
as  per  se  been  born  a favored  child  from  all  the  stub- 
orn  ills  of  life.  It  is  wished  it  could  have  been  so. 
But  rather  than  this,  she  has  had  more  than  her  share 
to  contend  with. 

Arizona  was  the  last  acquired,  and  of  all  our  Ter- 
ritorial lands,  situated  to  the  further  end  of  our  na- 
tional domain  ; until  at  present  she  was  off  the  beaten 
track  of  our  Country’s  physical  progress,  and  conse- 
quently, the  hardest  to  guard  and  protect,  bordering  a 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA, 


147 


country  proverbially  noted  for  its  conquests,  revolutions 
and  the  ungovernable  traits  of  its  rapacious  subjects; 
filled  with  one  of  the  fiercest  and  most  warlike  tribes 
of  America’s  aborigines  ; and  a victim  to  the  most  un- 
relenting force  of  circumstances  of  perhaps  any  other 
portion  of  our  country.  It  is  a marvel  that  the  Terri- 
tory shows  the  progress  it  does. 

The  Apaches,  the  most  powerful  and  war-like  tribe 
of  Indians  that  the  government  has  perhaps  ever  had  to 
bring  its  forces  against.  Ever  since  1853,  have  we 
been  more  or  less  afheted  with  them,  for  as  early  as 
that  had  the  American  pluck  found  its  way  into  that 
rich  seclusion  of  the  Sonora  country.  In  that  year 
and  with  the  purchase  of  our  last  acquisition  to  the 
Territory  we  also  got,  in  the  bargain,  or  as  a legacy, 
a powerful  tribe  of  wild,  ferocious,  unsubdued  Indians, 
whose  daily  life  consisted  in  hunting  after,  killing  or 
torturing  all  human  victims  not  of  their  own  kind  or 
kin.  They  had  been  at  this  since  the  time  of  the 
Spanish  conquest,  and  had  excelled.  They  had  suc- 
cessfully repelled  Mexico  after  her  independence  and 
until  our  purchase  in  1853.  Since  then  they  have, 
we  might  say,  fought  us  successfully  also.  It  would 
have  been  money  in  our  pockets,  if  after  the  pur- 


148 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


chase,  we  had  turned  around  and  offered  the  Mex- 
icans the  price  of  the  whole  purchase  over  again 
to  have  taken  their  munificent  legacy  back,  if  this 
could  have  been  done.  One  after  another  however, 
of  our  brave  and  indomitable  men  and  women  have 
pushed  out  into  this  open  country  with  somewhat  the 
spirit  of  ’76,  and  one  after  another  have  they  been 
slain.  Some  striking  narratives  told  me  recently  by 
Governor  A.  P.  K.  Safford  of  Arizona,  are  graphically 
descriptive  of  the  times  and  conditions  of  which  I 
speak,  and  I will  here  give  them  in  substance. 

I would  call  attention  to  the  philosophical  manner 
with  which  a practical  man  with  a practical  knowledge 
of  the  thing  dealt  with,  deals  with  this  Indian  ques- 
tion. Stern,  yet  unbiased  and  fair,  Gov.  Safford  has 
accomplished  more  practical  results  with  the  Indian, 
than  perhaps  any  other  man. 


CHAPTER  X 


NARRATIVES  OF  EARLY  ARIZONA  — BLOODY  DEEDS  AND  THE 
APACHES — ESKIMENZEN  — COCHISE  — WITCHCRAFT  — HAB- 
ITS OF  LIFE—  REFORM — WHO  IS  TO  BLAME? 

[A  large  portion  of  this  chapter  is  from  personal  narratives  kindly  tendered 


N estimable  lady  who  was  a near  neighbor  to  the 


Governor  in  Arizona  was  taken  captive  by  the 
Apaches  together  with  a young  Spanish  girl  who  was 
living  with  her.  The  Indians  came  to  the  house  while 
the  men  were  absent  On  leaving  the  house,  the 
Indians  traveled  rapidly,  as  they  knew  quite  well  they 
would  be  pursued.  Toward  the  close  of  the  first  day’s 
travel,  the  Indians  became  satisfied  that  the  woman 
could  not  travel  with  them.  She  had  struggled  with 
all  her  might  to  give  them  no  trouble,  knowing  that 
her  life  depended  upon  it  An  old  man  walked  beside 
her  most  of  the  day,  who  could  speak  Spanish.  He 
talked  constantly  of  the  wrongs  they  had  suffered 
from  the  whites. 

She  told  him  if  they  had  been  wronged  that  she 


me  by  Ex-Gov.  A.  I\  K.  SalTorcl,  of  Arizona.) 


150 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


was  not  responsible.  “ But,”  said  the  old  man,  “ you 
are  a race  of  villians.  Your  tongues  are  forked.  My 
people  were  once  a powerful  tribe  and  owned  all  this 
country.  Now  we  are  compelled  to  hide  like  the 
coyotes.  Our  people  have  been  murdered.  Our  coun- 
try has  been  taken  from  us,  and  I hate  you  all.”  Dur- 
ing the  day  she  had  been  allowed  to  travel  behind ; 
but  towards  evening  several  savages  dropped  behind, 
and  without  a moment’s  warning,  several  spears  were 
plunged  into  her  body,  and  she  was  thrown  down  a 
bank  for  dead.  She  laid  where  she  was  thrown  for 
several  hours  unconscious;  but  during  the  night  she 
heard  voices,  and  among  them  recognized  her  hus- 
band’s. Being  so  weak,  however,  from  loss  of  blood 
she  could  not  speak  nor  move,  and  they  passed  on  in 
pursuit  of  the  Indians,  not  knowing  that  they  had 
passed  within  a few  feet  of  her.  The  next  day  she 
recovered  sufficient  strength,  and  commenced  to  crawl 
towards  home,  she  was  sixteen  days  crawling  back, 
with,  nothing  to  eat,  save  the  roots  and  leaves  that  she 
gathered  on  the  way.  She  had  been  pierced  with  six- 
teen spears,  three  of  which  had  entered  the  cavity  of 
* the  body,  but  to-day  she  is  alive  and  well.  Failing  to 
overtake  the  Indians,  negotiations  were  opened  to 
ransom  them.  The  little  girl  was  brought  to  the  place 
designated  and  ransomed  for  gold.  But  the  woman 
was  reported  dead  and  you  can  imagine  the  agreeable 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA 


luS 


surprise  when  she  returned.  At  first,  however,  they 
believed  she  was  a spirit;  and  it  required  some  time 
before  she  could  convince  them  that  she  was  flesh  and 
blood.  A few  months  later  her  husband,  father,  and 
three  brothers  were  murdered,  and  she  was  left  alone, 
but  subsequently  married  an  excellent  man,  and  a 
happier,  or  better  family,  cannot  be  found. 

Another  case  is  told  of  a family  who  lived  a few 
miles  from  the  capital  of  the  Territory.  The  husband 
was  a member  of  the  Legislature.  While  engaged 
making  laws,  the  Indians  made  an  attack  upon  his 
house.  His  wife  and  a hired  man  determined  to  sell 
their  lives  as  dearly  as  possible,  and  as  the  savages 
approached  near  the  house,  the  good  wife  discharged 
her  trusty  rifle  and  at  each  discharge,  a savage  “ bit 
the  dust”  Finally,  the  ammunition  began  to  get 
short.  She  sent  the  hired  man  with  a letter  to  her 
husband,  saying,  “John, -the  Indians  are  here.  Send 
me  plenty  of  powder  and  lead.  Don’t  neglect  your 
duties  by  coming  home,  for  I am  master  of  the  situa- 
tion, and  can  hold  the  house. 

In  another  place  there  was  a husband  and  wife,  a 
little  child,  and  several  hired  men.  The  house  had 
been  attacked  when  only  the  woman  and  an  old  man 
were  at  home;  but  the  woman  stood  with  rifle  in  hand, 
and  defended  the  house  until  her  husband  and  a few 
men  came  to  her  relief.  Her  husband  begged  the 


154 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


Governor  to  take  her  to  a more  secure  place,  which  he 
would  have  gladly  done.  But  when  he  mentioned  it 
to  her,  she  grew  pale  and  said,  u Do  not,  I pray  you, 
mention  this  to  me  again.  I can  watch  for  the  sav- 
ages, and  give  him  warning  of  their  coming.  If  they 
come  I can  assist  to  repel  them.  And  if  he  must  die, 
I can  die  with  him.”  This  brave  little  woman  and 
her  husband  are  still  alive,  prosperous  and  happy,  I 
understand. 

We  will  narrate  one  more  case,  where  a farmer  was 
tilling  the  soil  some  distance  from  his  house.  The 
Indians  had  attacked  and  killed  most  of  the  people  in 
the  settlements  nearest  to  him  but  he  was  unconscious 
of  the  fact  The  Governor  went  to  warn  him  of  his 
danger,  and  urged  him  to  abandon  his  farm.  He 
said  he  could  not ; that  his  wife  and  children  wTould 
suffer  for  bread  if  he  did  not  gather  his  grain.  The 
Governor  urged  him  to  leave.  Before  the  week  passed 
the  Indians  came,  they  swarmed  upon  him  with  their 
spears,  expecting  to  obtain  an  easy  victim,  but  he 
turned  upon  them  with  his  repeating  rifle,  and  the 
first,  second,  and  third,  fell  a lifeless  corpse,  when  the 
others  ran.  He  continued  his  fire  upon  them,  and 
before  they  got  out  of  the  range  of  his  gun,  four  more 
were  sent  to  the  “ happy  hunting  ground.”  Unfortu- 
nately, however,  a random  shot  from  the  retreating 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


155 


Indians  crushed  his  ankle  and  made  him  a cripple  for 
life. 

Who  are  the  beings  that  perpetrated  these  atroc- 
ities? 

I have  only  attempted  to  give  a few  of  the  scenes 
encountered  in  the  settlement  of  Arizona.  I will  now 
mention  briefly  the  Indians  who  were  the  actors  in  these 
bloody  tragedies.  The  Apaches  are  of  medium  size, 
physically  quick  and  active,  and  are  capable  of  endur- 
ing great  hardships.  Their  muscles  of  locomotion 
have  peen  developed  to  the  fullest  extent,  and  they 
are  capable  of  moving  with  great  rapidity.  When 
making  raids  no  horse  can  overtake  or  keep  up  with 
them. 

Intellectually  they  are  very  shrewd,  have  good  com- 
mand of  language,  are  quite  witty  and  fond  of  joking. 

Governor  Safford  was  present  at  the  first  attempt  to 
make  a general  peace  between  them,  and  the  whites, 
and  the  friendly  Indians.  The  Conference  lasted  two 
days ; and  the  chiefs  who  spoke  for  the  Indians  ar- 
gued their  points  with  great  ingenuity,  and,  far  ex- 
celled in  shrewdness  the  tame  Indians.  One  of  the 
most  vexatious  things  we  had  to  deal  with  on  that  oc- 
casion was  the  case  of  some  captive  Apache  children 
that  had  been  taken  by  the  whites,  and  given  to  differ- 
ent families  in  the  country.  The  Indians  demanded, 
as  one  of  the  conditions,  that  these  children  should  be 


15G 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


brought  in  and  given  up  to  them.  The  children  had 
been  with  the  whites  so  long  that  they  had  forgotten 
their  parents,  and  had  as  much  affection  for  their 
adopted  parents  as  though  they  had  been  their  natural 
offsprings;  and  the  adopted  parents  reciprocated  the 
feeling.  It  was  a heartrending  separation.  The  chil- 
dren clung  to  their  adopted  parents  with  deathlike 
tenacity  ; and  to  tear  them  from  weeping  women  and 
turn  them  over  to  naked  Savages  was  a scene,  as  the 
Governor  said,  he  hoped  never  again  to  witness.  We 
tried  in  every  way  to  compromise  with  them,  and  save 
the  children.  We  offered  them  money,  horses,  any- 
thing they  might  covet.  But  they  replied;  “Do  you 
think  we  are  dogs,  and  would  sell  our  own  children  ? 

The  principal  spokesman  upon  that  occasion,  and 
who  is  now  chief  of  the  Apaches,  is  named  Eski- 
menzen.  I shall  never  forget  with  what  pride  and 
pomp  he  rode  down  to  the  place  of  meeting  on  his  no- 
ble charger,  with  his  favorite  squaw  seated  behind 
him.  He  was  then  about  thirty  five  years  old;  tall 
and  straight,  and  moved  with  the  dignity  and  inde- 
pendence of  a king. 

As  he  sprang  from  his  horse  he  gave  the  reins  to 
his  wife.  She  was  young,  and  very  pretty  for  one  of 
her  race;  and  looked  with  pride  and  admiration  upon 
her  liege  lord.  All  day  long  she  remained  seated 
upon  the  horse  intent  upon  hearing  every  word  that 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


157 


escaped  from  her  husband.  Eskimenzen  was  bold,  de- 
fiant, and  unreconstructed.  He  was  a wild  man,  filled 
with  hatred  and  suspicion  of  the  white  man.  “ I had 
grave  doubts  about  the  peace  enduring,”  said  the 
Governor,  “and  it  was  not  long  before  my  doubts  were 
realized.”  The  Indians  were  subsequently  howeve  r, 
very  roughly  handled,  and  afterwards  sued  for  peace 
in  good  faith.  They  are  now  living  quietly  and 
peacably  on  a reservation.  The  Governor  said,  “I 
have  been  much  interested  in  the  great  change  in  ac- 
tion and  feeling  that  has  been  made  in  these  Indians. 
I have  often  talked  with  great  freedom  with  Eskimen- 
zen. Not  long  ago  he  said  to  me,  “you  can  hardly 
imagine  what  an  erroneous  opinion  I had  of  the  white 
people  before  I became  well  acquainted  with  you.  I 
supposed  that  no  other  condition  could  exist  between  us 
except  war.  As  far  back  as  legend  carried  us  we  had 
been  at  war  with  every  one  with  whom  we  came  in 
contact,  and  I supposed  that  must  go  on,  until  one  or 
the  other  race  was  exterminated.  But  now  I see  there 
are  good  and  bad  among  the  whites,  as  well  as  among 
the  Indians,  and  that  many  of  you  desire  to  help  us, 
and  want  to  see  us  prosperous  and  happy.  I see  that 
your  ways  are  better  than  our  ways  for  you  lay  up 
something  ahead  and  never  have  to  go  hungry  as  we 
often  did.  I am  getting  old,  and  I am  past  the  time 
to  make  much  improvement,  but  I want  my  children 


158  PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 

to  grow  up  like  white  children,  and  learn  to  work  and 
read  and  write.” 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  our  misunderstandings, 
quarrels  and  fights,  whether  with  our  own  people  or 
the  rude  savages,  are  mainly  brought  about  by  not 
knowing  and  understanding  each  other.  These  wild 
men  fought  us  cruelly,  savagely,  unrelentingly.  But 
from  their  stand  point  they  believed  that  they  were 
doing  right,  and  that  we  were  all  wrong.  At  this 
time  when  Eskimenzen  broke  the  peace,  the  first  man 
he  killed  was  his  friend  who  had  been  very  kind  to 
him.  I afterwards  asked  him  whv  he  killed  his 

J 

friend,  and  he  replied  that  he  wanted  to  break  the 
peace : that  any  coward  could  kill  an  enemy,  but  it 
took  a brave  man  to  kill  a friend. 

Cochise  was  the  greatest  war  chief  the  Apaches  ever 
had.  He  never  was  whipped  in  a fight,  and  was 
a natural  born  chief.  He  was  kind  to  his  men,  and 
never  tasted  food  until  they  were  first  supplied.  But 
he  exacted  in  return,  implicit  obedience  to  his  com- 
mands, and  a very  slight  deviation  cost  the  offender 
his  life.  He  had  no  more  hesitation  in  plunging  his 
spear  through  the  heart  of  one  of  his  own  men,  than 
in  killing  an  enemy  in  battle.  I met  him  once  and 
spent  one  day  with  him  at  his  camp  in  the  mountains. 
He  gave  me  a history  of  his  wrongs ; and  although  he 
had  been  the  cause  of  killing  more  white  men,  than 


AN  APACHE  CHIEF. 


AN  APACHE  SQUAW  AND  PAPPOOSE 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


163 


any  other  chief  or  Indian,  and  had  been  cruel  beyond 
discription  in  his  tortures,  I could  not  help  but  feel 
that  lie  had  been  deeply  wronged  ; and,  that  from  the 
light  given  him,  and  the  law  and  morals  upon  which 
he  had  been  educated,  he  had  acted  conscientiously, 
and  had  done  what  he  believed  to  be  right.  He  was  a 
man  of  great  energy,  of  superior  ability  and  firmness 
of  purpose,  and  was  generally  faithful  to  his  promises, 
lie  was  tall,  straight  and  commanding  in  appearance, 
and  his  features  were  regular  with  a placid,  though 
rather  sad  countenance.  He  rarely  ever  smiled,  and 
was  thoughtful  and  studied  in  all  his  expressions. 
I talked  to  him  of  the  superior  advantages  of  civiliza- 
tion, but  he  replied,  “ I am  too  old  to  adopt  new  cus- 
toms.” He  had  captives  with  him  who  could  speak 
and  read  the  Spanish  language,  and  he  was  well  ad- 
vised of  everything  the  newspapers  said  about  him. 
He  expressed  a desire  that  his  children  should  learn  to 
read  and  write,  “ but  of  us  old  people  ” he  said ; “ you 
can  make  nothing  of  us  but  wild  men.”  He  died  a 
natural  death  three  years  ago.  During  the  last  three 
years  of  his  life  he  and  his  people  lived  at  peace  with 
the  citizens  of  Arizona,  but  carried  on  a relentless  war 
against  the  Mexicans  across  the  frontier.  I tried  to 
persuade  him  to  cease  this  warfare,  as  it  was  liable  to 
involve  him  and  the  people  of  Arizona  in  difficulty. 
But  his  eyes  flashed  fire  with  indignation  at  the  men- 


164  PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 

tion  of  making  pence  witli  the  Mexican  people;  and 
lie  said  ; “ while  life  is  spared  me,  I will  never  cease  to 
hate  and  kill  that  infamous  people.  I know  their 
treachery  to  my  sorrow.  I once  placed  confidence 
in  them  only  to  be  betrayed.  Many  years  ago  I 
became  tired  of  war,  and  made  peace  with  them. 
I crossed  the  line  and  settled  in  their  Country, 
and  everything  seemed  harmonious  and  lovely.  After 
we  had  remained  there  a few  months  and  all  passed  on 
pleasantly,  the  Mexican  authorities  proposed  to  get  up 
a grand  barbacue  to  celebrate  the  era  of  love  aud  good 
will.  All  the  Indians  and  vast  numbers  of  Mexicans 
came  together  and  hundreds  of  cattle  were  slaughtered 
for  the  occasion.  Liquor  was  freely  given  which  re- 
sulted in  the  intoxication  of  many  of  my  bravest  and 
best  soldiers.  When  they  were  in  this  helpless  condi- 
tion, an  indiscriminate  massacre  was  commenced,  of  my 
braves,  women  and  children.  By  this  treachery  we 
lost  a large  number  of  our  people,  but  I with  some  of 
my  followers,  were  spared  ; and  since  that  time  we 
have  done  what  we  could  to  revenge  that  terrible 
wrong.  If  we  have  been  cruel,  then  they  set  the 
example  to  us.  That  they  have  greatly  suffered  at 
our  hands  I know  full  well.  They  now  cry  for  peace, 
but  there  can  bo  no  peace  between  us.” 

Since  the  Apache  Indians  have  been  brought  on  the 
reservation,  and  have  become  tame,  and  acquainted 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


165 


with  civilization,  they  have  undergone  a great  change, 
and  appear  like  a different  people.  They  have  com- 
menced to  labor,  and  seem  desirous,  many  of  them,  to 
earn  their  own  living.  They  have  accumulated  some 
property . and  it  would  now  be  difficult  to  drive  a 
large  majority  of  them  on  the  war  path.  They  have 
for  several  years  been  self-governing;  the  police  du- 
ties have  been  entirely  performed  by  men  belonging 
to  the  tribe,  and  these  policemen  have  in  every  in- 
stance been  vigilant  and  true.  In  one  instance  an 
Indian  attempted  to  kill  the  U.  S.  Agent  at  the  reser- 
vation, but  was  almost  instantly  killed  himself  by  his 
brother,  who  was  acting  as  a policeman.  All  the 
Indians  that  I have  ever  met  are  superstitious,  and  are 
firm  believers  in  witchcraft.  A witch  is  considered  a 
very  great  criminal,  or  rather,  an  unclean  and  danger- 
ous spirit  and  not  fit  to  live.  Many  are  killed  for 
this  grave  offence.  The  victims  are  almost  invariably 
women,  and  generally  aged.  Death,  pestilence,  or  any 
great  calamity  is  usually  charged  to  the  influence  of 
witches,  who  have  to  pay  the  penalty  by  death. 
Their  doctors  practice  their  profession  by  sorcery. 
They  chant  songs  and  go  through  with  all  manner  of 
mysterious  manoeuvres.  If  the  patient  gets  well,  the 
cure  is  conceded  to  the  doctor.  But  if  he  is  unsuc- 
cessful in  his  practice,  and  cannot  prove  that  his  ill 
success  is  attributable  to  the  interference  of  witches, 


166 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


he  often  pays  the  penalty  by  death.  Last  Spring,  the 
Governor  took  a scouting  party  of  Indians  into  Mexico. 
One  of  them  had  a felon  on  his  finger.  I applied  the 
usual  remedies,  but  the  night  before  it  broke  be  lost 
all  faith  in  my  skill.  He  called  in  the  Indian  doctor, 
and  the  night  was  spent  in  chanting.  In  the  morning 
the  sore  broke.  The  patient  was  relieved,  and  the 
Indian  doctor  received  full  credit  for  performing  the 
cure.  By  Indian  custom  the  woman  is  the  property 
of  the  man.  When  an  Indian  desires  to  marry,  he 
purchases  his  wife  from  the  father.  A man  is  allowed 
as  many  wifes  as  he  is  able  to  purchase.  She  is  thus 
his  property  to  do  with  as  he  pleases.  He  can  beat 
her  at  will,  and  even  kill  her  if  he  so  inclines.  Of 
course  she  is  treated  according  to  the  disposition  of 
the  husband.  Some  are  kind  and  indulgent  while 
others  are  brutal  and  cruel.  There  is  nothing  in  In- 
dian custom  to  which  they  cling  with  more  tenacity 
than  this  supreme  power  over  their  wives ; and  no 
Indian,  however  unjust  or  cruel  another  may  be,  ever 
thinks  of  interfering  to  protect  her;  and  the  senti- 
ment of  a whole  tribe  has  often  been  united  against 
the  efforts  of  agents  who  have  tried  to  correct  these 
abuses.  Infidelity  on  the  part  of  the  women  among 
the  Apaches  is  usually  punished  by  cutting  off  their 
noses.  I have  seen  many  thus  mutilated.  These 
customs  seem  very  strange  to  us ; but  it  must  be 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


167 


borne  in  mind  that  within  the  history  of  our  own 
country,  with  all  the  advantages  of  books  and  educa- 
tion, many  people  have  been  by  our  laws  executed  for 
witchcraft.  The  subject  of  man’s  superiority  and 
power  to  rule  and  control  women  too,  has  only  van- 
ished as  we  have  advanced  in  civilization  ; and  there 
yet  remains  many  abuses  to  correct  before  we  place 
women  on  that  high  plain  which  God  designed  they 
should  occupy.  While  we  may  deeply  regret  the 
benighted  condition  of  the  red  man,  we  must  bear  in 
mind  that  they  are  unlettered,  and  have  never  received 
the  light  and  elevated  influence  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion. 

But  we  might  run  on  in  this  strain  until  our  powers 
of  speech  were  exhausted,  and  then  leave  much  be- 
hind. This  is  but  one  chapter.  A thousand  might 
be  written.  When  we  had  first  learned  of  the  wealth 
that  lies  hidden  within  the  folds  of  Arizona,  we  might 
think  it  was  neglect  on  the  people’s  part,  and  ask  the 
question,  why  has  it  not  been  worked?  But  when 
we  learn  of  its  history  and  former  conditions,  as  ex- 
plained in  this  chapter,  any  stigma  is  cast  aside,  and 
we  forget  the  past,  in  our  eagerness  to  grasp  the  bril- 
liant present  and  future. 


CHAPTER  XL 


EHRENBERG— A LONELY  “VILLAGE  OF  THE  PLAIN  ’’—PAINFUL 
THOUGHTS  — CORONATION  PEAK  — THE  GODDESS  OF  THE 
VALLEY— NO  ENDOWMENT  POLICY— INTEREST,  CONTRAST, 
AND  BEAUTY— TO  THE  LAND  OF  HEMP,  COTTON  AND  RICE. 

FOR  some  distance  back  from  tbe  Colorado  River, 
to  the  east,  and  on  the  California  side,  there  is  a 
dense  cluster  of  willows,  greasewood  and  timber  of 
smaller  growth,  which  lines  the  banks  of  this  whimsi- 
cal stream.  On  the  opposite  or  Arizona  side  of  the 
river,  you  greet  the  town  of  Ehrenberg — a unique  set- 
tlement to  those  not  accustomed  to  Mexican  huts. 
On  the  occasion  of  my  arrival  there,  hosts  of  Indians 
were  down  to  push  the  boat  off  the  shore  after  the 
stage  had  driven  upon  it.  One  front  of  a row  of  low 
flat  adobe  structures,  constitute  the  material  town ; 
with  a population  of  five  hundred  Indians,  Mexicans, 
and  a general  mixture  of  a little  of  everything  else — 
the  Indians  predominating.  Breakfast  taken  here 
again,  we  pushed  on.  From  the  river,  evidences  of 


■ 


TIIE  CITY  OF  EHllENBEUG— LOOKING  UP  THE  COLORADO  RIVER— INDIANS  AT  I'LaY. 


riCTURESQur:  Arizona. 


171 


fertile  soil  began  to  show  itself  in  the  constantly  in- 
creasing growths  noticed  as  we  progressed. 

Desert  riding  at  its  worst,  in  our  country,  has  only 
an  ideal  in  the  minds  of  the  many.  Many  people  of 
course,  have  suffered  and  died  on  these  very  deserts, 
the  result  being  attributed  to  the  desert,  but  in  reality 
the  desert  is  not  wholly  the  cause.  Ignorant  of  the 
nature  of  their  trip  many  an  emigrant  has  started  out 
without  water  sufficient  to  carry  him  but  a very  few 
miles,  or  having  carried  perhaps  water  enough  for  his 
journey,  but  not  being  acquainted  with,  and  having 
no  one  to  direct  him  in  his  right  course,  he  has  wan- 
dered and  strayed  indefinitely  at  his  own  risk  and 
peril.  We  would  not  recommend  any  one  to  attempt 
uncertain  courses,  out  of  beaten  tracks.  Arizona  is 
not  civilized  enough  to  trust  to  meeting  of  fellow  trav- 
elers for  guidance,  and  the  natural  causes  of  delusion 
in  distance  and  direction;  the  beautiful  but  deceptive 
mirage,  and  the  effect  of  unaccustomed  altitudes,  all 
make  it  dangerous  for  those  not  to  some  extent  ac- 
quainted with  causes  or  with  the  country,  to  trust 
themselves  to  their  ordinary  common  sense. 

Apart  from  the  beauties  which  actually  do  lie  in 
these  deserts  (so  called)  the  interest  all  seem  to  find 
in  them,  is  noticeable.  They  are  interesting.  The 
diversity  of  our  desert  lands  is  very  broken,  both  as 
regards  safety  and  beauty.  One  may  have  the  beau* 


172 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


ties  here,  without  the  necessary  perils.  Imagine  riding 
over  a sandy  desert  mesa,  and  all  the  horrible  visions 
of  skeletons  and  starvation,  and  reptile  bites,  choking 
from  thirst  and  the  like,  forcing  themselves  upon  you 
until  nerves  are  unwittingly  wrought  to  the  highest 
pitch  of  terror;  and  then  by  a sudden  reversion  of 
the  mind,  you  realize  that  a canteen  of  water  which 
is  at  your  side,  is  ample  to  support  you  from  one 
station  to  another.  On  our  trip  from  Yuma  to  the 
Santa  Eita  Mountains  these  effects  were  pleasingly 
realized.  With  one  of  our  feet  on  a box  filled  with 
canned  oysters,  and  the  other  on  a case  of  jelly,  while 
our  eyes  fell  upon  a choice  quarter  of  fresh  lamb  or  a 
heap  of  quail  which  some  of  the  party  had  shot  on  the 
way.  On  one  occasion  we  passed  a few  bones  scat- 
tered on  the  sand  a short  distance  from  the  road.  Our 
driver  informed  us  that  they  were  the  remains  of  a par- 
ty of  two  men,  a woman  and  child,  who  attempted  to 
cross  over  certain  mesas  and  plains  to  reach  Phoenix^ 
without  going  on  the  round-about  road  to  Wickenburg 
first,  and  so  on  down  to  Phoenix.  They  lost  their 
way;  and  getting  out  of  water  (which  would  have 
lasted  them  until  they  reached  Wickenburg  had  they 
gone  the  accustomed  way)  perished. 

Thirty  miles  inland  from  the  Colorada  Eiver,  and 
the  Gila  valley  showed  unmistakable  signs  of  the 
richest  fertility.  Galetta,  Gramma,  Sacaton,  and  other 


▲ MOJAVE  INDIAN  AND  EOT  AT  EMtENBEKG. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA 


175 


grasses,  together  with  the  more  ponderous  and  harder 
growths  of  the  mesquite,  and  palo-verd6  trees,  could 
but  suggest  a rich  soil.  Dr.  Allen,  the  well-known 
geologist,  upon  examining  the  soil  on  one  occasion, 
gave  it  as  his  opinion,  that  in  a very  large  majority  of 
cases  that  which  seemed  to  condemn  the  lands  here  as 
desert,  was  simply  an  over  crust  of  a salt  formation 
that  rather  enriched  the  ground  than  otherwise,  and 
that  the  other  sub-soil  was  a rich  loam  upon  which  all 
products  of  a semi-tropical  (and  in  many  cases  of  a 
tropical  clime)  would  excel  in  production. 

Forty  miles  from  Yuma,  east  from  the  banks  of  the 
Gila  River,  we  had  a gorgeous  sight  of  the  object 
known  as  the  Coronation  Peak.  Our  party  all  dis- 
mounted here,  to  roll  and  stretch  their  limbs  on  the 
lawn-like  meadows  that  line  the  river’s  edge,  and  to 
catch  the  inspiration  which  this  peak  throws  out  to  all 
who  will  seek  her  society.  There  is  a spirit  in  her 
that  speaks  to  every  human  soul.  The  name  is  de- 
rived from  the  resemblance  the  top  of  the  peak  has  to 
a crown.  The  tip  aspiring  heavenward,  and  playing 
with  the  brilliant  tints  of  the  clouds,  contrasts  beauti- 
fully with  the  blue  waters  of  the  Gila  at  the  base. 
The  “ shades  of  evening  ” cast  over  here,  with  robes  of 
crimson  and  purple,  made  poets  of  us  all.  I was  a 
poet  while  I lay  sprawling  on  the  ground  in  the  pres- 
ence of  this  goddess  of  the  valley.  But  the  trouble  is, 


176 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


I lost,  the  gift  of  poesy  when  I parted  with  her.  She 
doesn’t  believe  iti  the  endowment  policy.  She  has 
no  regard  for  those  who  wont  stay  with  her  alway. 
The  scenery  of  Arizona  is  marked.  Her  features  are 
peculiar  to  herself.  One  does  not  here  see  the  “El 
Capitan”  nor  hear  the  clashing  waters  of  the  Niagara. 
But  at  neither  Niagara  nor  in  the  Yosemite  do  we  see 
the  mirage,  nor  do  we  see  it  anywhere  on  the  earth, 
perhaps,  except  in  the  famous  Fatamorgana  of  Italy. 
The  artist  may  get  his  subject  in  the  mountains  of 
California  or  in  the  rocky  mountains ; but  for  his 
light  and  shade,  let  him  go  to  Arizona.  In  the  trip 
of  which  lam  in  part  giving  a narrative,  several  of  the 
members  often  alluded  to  the  fact  that  if  this  or  that 
effect  were  to  be  truly  pictured  on  canvass  the  observ- 
er would  say  that  it  was  “forced” — exagerated.  Ari- 
zona’s interest,  next  to  her  great  mineral  wealth,  con 
sists  in  her  contrasts.  Contrasts  beget  beauty ; and 
interest  in  a thing  makes  that  beauty  lasting.  W e have 
known  of  many  a pretty  face,  that  lacking  interest, 
has  lost  its  charm  in  a very  short  time ; while  we 
have  known  of  many  a homely  face  whose  interest  has 
captivated  man  for  a whole  life  time.  Whereas  for 
general  and  prolific  productiveness,  the  more  southerly 
part  of  Arizona  may  perhaps  excel ; the  more  wonder- 
ful phenomena  must  be  accredited  to  the  northern  por- 
tion. 


VIEW  OF  THE  COLOKADO  AT  YUMA, 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA.  . 1?9 

Traveling  up  the  Gila  River  there  is  a very  pretty 
series  of  mountains  and  valleys,  the  mountains  hem- 
ming the  valleys  in.  But  }^ou  travel  and  travel  and 
travel  without  ever  meeting  with  any  obstruction. 
You  continue  in  one  broad,  extensive  valley  unto  the 
end  of  your  journey.  Fora  distance  of  two  hundred 
and  fifty  to  three  hundred  miles  this  unbroken  stretch 
of  rich  farming  land  urges  the  husbandman  to  share 
its  virtues  and  merits.  As  you  journey  eastward, 
signs  of  agriculture  increase  rapidly  until,  arriving  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Florence,  which  is  in  a direct  line 
east  from  Yuma,  and  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  to 
two  hundred  miles  from  it,  the  country  assumes  a 
charming  and  cheerful  aspect.  Professor  Wheeler 
estimated  in  his  reports  of  Arizona,  that,  under  irriga- 
tion, thirty-seven  per  cent,  of  the  lands  of  Arizona  could 
be  made  agricultural,  and  sixty  per  cent,  pastoral.  Rice, 
hemp,  cotton,  wild  poppy,  and  opium  flourish  in  the 
southern  portions  of  the  State,  while  to  the  east,  in  the 
Viego  and  other  of  the  many  rich  valleys  which  lie 
between  the  isolated  and  broken  mountain  ranges  so 
common  in  Arizona  and  the  southwest,  the  cereals 
thrive  wonderfully.  Our  observations  all  through  the 
Gila  valley  forcibly  showed  this  large  extent  as  graz- 
ing lands.  In  some  cases  even  the  mesas  may  be  used 
for  pasturage. 

Beyond  the  station  at  Maricopa  Wells,  is  located  the 


180 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


Pima  Indian  Villages.  In  all  the  distance  from  here 
to  Florence  may  be  seen  crops  of  corn,  grain  and  the 
smaller  vegetables,  cultivated  by  the  Indians.  The 
Pimas  are  notable  for  their  industry.  With  the  Indian, 
has  always  been  associated  the  idea  of  a people  identi- 
fied only  with  scalping  knives,  tomahawks,  and  a for- 
midable display  of  feathers  and  fantastically  orna- 
mented robes  of  skins  for  clothing.  But  the  word  In- 
dian has  as  wide  a range  of  signification  as 
to  say  white  man.  To  say  white  man  may  mean 
a Grecian,  an  American  or  Mexican ; an  intel- 
ligent man,  an  industrious  man,  or  a lazy  good- 
-for-nothing  who  may  scarcely  be  worth  any  thing, 
be  he  either  white  or  black.  This  is  about  the 
significance  one  should  get  of  the  present  term  Indian. 
There  are  as  great  differences  to  be  comprehended  in 
the  one  term  as  in  the  other.  Comparisons  between 
the  different  tribes  will  show  this.  Not  only  either, 
does  this  show  itself  among  different  nations,  so  to 
speak,  or  locations  alone,  but  between  the  tribes  of 
one  section  of  the  country.  Nowhere,  in  my  experi- 
ence in  Indian  countries,  are  these  facts  more  thor- 
oughly demonstrated  than  in  the  southwest  of  our 
country — including  the  different  classes  known  under 
the  head  of  “The  Indian.” 


f 


CHAPTER  XII. 


ANTELOPE  PEAK— A NIGHT’S  COMPANION  — “ LONE  PEAKS” — 
A GOLD  STORY— OATMAN’S  FLAT— FREIGHT  TRAINS  OF  THE 
DESERT — “PEDROS  PINTADOS.” 


HE  second  night  out  brought  us  to  “ Antelope 


Peak,”  a famous  camping  spot,  and  so  named 
from  a high  towering  peak  jutting  up  from  the  ground 
in  magnificent  and  haughty  style,  and  shrowding  you 
and  the  camp  grounds  surrounding,  with  its  casting 
shadows.  An  adobe  building  for  the  stage  company’s 
office,  and  a corral  for  the  protection  and  care  of  the 
horses,  and  the  graceful  flow  of  the  Gila  River  o’er- 
shadowed  by  the  towering  “ Antelope,”  constitute  the 
main  attraction  for  the  camper.  It  is  a very  refresh- 
ing and  cooling  retreat  for  the  traveler,  who  has  had 
just  enough  of  the  sand  and  sun  of  Arizona  by  this 
time,  to  appreciate  and  enjoy  it.  This  peak,  instead  of 
being  called  a peak,  having  the  features  of  so  much  of 
the  Arizona  mountain  scenery,  would  be  better  com- 
prehended by  being  termed  an  Isolated  Mountain ; jut- 
ting, as  it  does  from  the  very  level  of  the  plains,  and 
throwing  itself  grandly  up  to  a height  of  hundreds  of 


182 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


feet  into  one  single  conical  shaped  formation.  There 
are  several  of  these  entertaining  fellows  over  the  plains 
of  the  Territory  relieving  the  eye  of  monotony,  and 
without  which  the  deserts  and  the  traveler  on  them, 
would  yearn  for  some  society.  Their  extreme  contrast 
with  the  surroundings,  exalting  -them  to  a glorious 
standard.  One  of  the  most  bold  and  pleasing  of  these 
peaks  is  to  be  seen  on  Stewart  & Pearson’s  stage  road 
from  Ehrenberg  to  Prescott.  After  riding  for  miles 
and  hours  over  the  broad  sandy  plains,  with  the 
distant  mountains  forming  a pleasing  enclosure  to 
a vast  natural  stage  upon  which  many  a weird  and 
midnight  scene  has  been  enacted,  to  come  boldly 
upon  these  two  lone  peaks  (there  are  two  of  them) 
standing  side  by  side,  is  a scene  worth  the  whole  ride. 
As  the  stage  passes  by  close  to  their  base,  they  look 
down  frowningly  upon  you ; and  were  you  supersti- 
tious, would  almost  think  they  spoke  to  you  in  the 
starry  stillness  of  the  night. 

The  occasion  on  which  I first  saw  these  peaks  was 
in  the  middle  of  the  night.  It  was  a bright  moon- 
light one,  and  the  hazy  light  of  the  moon  from  behind, 
throwing  the  shadow  far  over  our  stage  coach,  pro- 
duced a sombre  effect  I was  seated  on  top  of  the 
coach  alongside  the  driver,  and  strapped  on  to  prevent 
me  from  falling  off  by  the  sudden  jolts  in  passing  over 
the  gulches  where  the  miners  had  been  to  work,  and 


i 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


185 


so  that  I might  sleep  and  nod  to  my  heart’s  content 
without  being  dashed  beneath  the  wheels.  I had 
fallen  asleep  as  my  driver  could  assert  to  this  day,  be- 
cause he  had  tried  his  best  to  keep  me  awake  for  some 
one  to  talk  to.  In  passing  over  a small  stream  which 
runs  close  by  the  peaks,  the  thump  of  the  wagon  fairly 
forced  my  eyelids  apart;  and,  beholding  these  two 
giant  figures  o’er-spreading  me  as  it  seemed,  1 was  held 
with  awe  for  a few  minutes,  and  then  said  to  the  dri- 
ver, “ What  are  these  ? ” at  the  same  time  holding  my 
face  up  at  right  angles  to  see  the  top. 

“Oh!  those?”  said  he,  in  a quiet  unconcerned 
voice, — “ Oh  ! those  are  stones  that  grow  here  in  Ari- 
zona.,” I named  the  peaks  “Lone  Peaks,”  as  agree- 
able to  the  circumstances  and  conditions,  as  well  as 
the  sentiments  of  both  myself  and  my  friend  the 
driver. 

In  regard  to  my  waking  up  by  the  joltoi  the  wagon, 
I am  not  sure  to  this  day  whether  it  was  the  jolt  of  the 
coach,  or  due  to  some  mechanical  or  other  contrivance  of 
the  driver.  These  drivers  do  not  like  to  have  you  go 
to  sleep  in  the  night  while  at  their  side.  They  want 
you  to  talk  to.  Besides,  if  there  is  going  to  be  any 
Indian  relays,  or  a meeting  of  any  of  the  road 
“agents1’  who  often  come  out  part  way  to  relieve 
the  coach  or  the  passengers  of  any  extra  money  they 
may  have  on  their  persons,  he  wants  you  to  see  the 


186 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA, 


modus  operandi  with  which  it  is  done.  I do  not  know 
then,  whether  it  was  the  thump,  or  a pin  being  poked 
into  my  leg,  or  a pincli  that  woke  me  up.  And  the 
driver  will  “ never  tell  you.” 

The  Antelope  peak  of  the  Gila  Peak  of  the 
Gila  must  not  be  conflicted  with  what  is  known 
as  the  Antelope  Mountains  seen  on  another  part 
of  Stewart  & Pearson’s  stage  route,  which  is  some 
distance  north  of  the  Gila  River,  where  a man 
by  the  name  of  Poebles  took  out  seven  thousand 
dollars  in  placer  gold  one  morning  before  break- 
fast, and  during  three  weeks  following,  it  is  known, 
found  eighty  thousand  dollars  in  gold  nuggets.  This 
is  a California  gold  story  of  ’49  over  again,  and  verifies 
what  we  say  elsewhere  concerning  the  part  of  ’49  be- 
ing again  played,  in  Arizona.  We  may  emphatically, 
look  for  this.  The  era  has  already  dawned. 

Urging  our  mules  the  next  day  we  made  a beautiful 
run  of  forty -six  miles  to  a station  known  as  Stamvix 
Hall,  famous  for  its  mud  springs  which,  one  of  these 
days  will  be  celebrated  far  and  wide  for  their  medi- 
cinal properties.  In  the  morning  we  pass  a station 
that  reminds  us  that  we  are  not  too  far  away  from 
home  to  be  partiotic,  by  a flag  hoisted  in  rude  style 
over  the  corral  and  composed  of  three  white  stripes, 
two  red  stripes  and  two  bine  stripes  and  forty-five 
stars.  We  had  seen  flags  larger,  and  we  had  seen 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


189 


flags  less  pretentious ; but  I don’t  think  any  of  us 
ever  took  off  our  hats  with  a more  hearty  and  vigo- 
rous “Three  cheers  ! ” than  did  the  Aztec  party  ; and 
we  excused  the  presumption  of  the  forty-five  stars  on 
the  grounds  that  perhaps  the  inserter  of  them  candidly 
thought  Arizona  was  worth  enough  in  herself  to  make 
up  the  deficiency.  That  afternoon  brought  us  to  the 
sad  and  tragic  landmark  of  the  Oatman’s  Flat,  where 
they  have  named  the  station  after  the  victims  of  this 
tragedy,  to  keep  perhaps,  fresh  in  the  memory  of  the 
white  man  the  recollections  of  one  the  most  atrocious 
massacres  ever  perpetrated  by  the  Indians. 

This  story  is  well  known  and  has  been  often  re- 
peated by  many  writers.  We  will  simply  quote  a few 
of  the  more  important  features  of  the  affair  as  graph- 
ically described  by  J.  Ross  Brown.  Early  in  January, 
1851,  Mr.  Royse  Oatman  and  his  family  entered  that 
portion  of  the  new  Mexican  Territory  now  called  Ari- 
zona, in  company  with  an  emigrant  party  of  which  he 
was  a member.  ******* 
He  had  seen  no  hostile  Indians,  and  had  heard  of  no 
recent  depredations  on  the  way.  * * * On 

the  18th  of  March,  they  spent  a dreadful  night  on 
a little  sand  island  in  the  Gila  River.  A terrific  storm 
blew  the  water  up  over  them ; their  scanty  supply  of 
provisions  was  damaged,  their  blankets  and  clothing 
were  wet  through,  and  the  starving  animals  driven 


190 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


nearly  frantic  with  fear.  It  was  a wild  and  desolate 
place,  many  days  journey  from  any  civilized  abode.  . 

It  was  starvation  to  stay,  and 
almost  inevitable  disaster  to  go  forward.  Mrs.  Oat- 
man,  the  noble  wife  and  mother,  always  patient,  hope- 
ful, and  enduring,  busied  herself  in  attending  to  the 
wants  of  her  children  and  in  uttering  words  of  encour- 
agement to  her  husband.  He,  however,  seemed  ut- 
terly overwhelmed  with  gloomy  forebodings,  and  con- 
tinued to  look  back  upon  the  road,  till  suddenly  an 
expression  of  indescribable  horror  was  observed  in  his 
face,  and  the  next  moment  a band  of  Indians  was  seen 
leisurely  approaching  along  the  road.  The  children 
perceiving  instinctively  that  their  father — to  whom 
they  had  always  been  accustomed  to  look  for  protec- 
tion— was  agitated  by  no  ordinary  emotions,  became 
alarmed  ; but  he  succeeded  by  a strong  effort  in  main- 
taining an  appearance  of  composure,  and  told  them 
not  to  be  afraid,  that  the  Indians  would  not  hurt 
them.  It  was  a favorite  theory  of  his  that  misconduct 
on  the  part  of  the  whites  was  the  cause  of  all  trouble 
with  Indians,  and  that  by  treating  them  generously 
and  kindly  they  would  not  prove  ungrateful.  Strange 
that  one  who  had  lived  in  frontier  countries  should  so 
fatally  misconstrue  the  character  of  that  race  ! 

When  the  Indians  came  up  Mr.  Oatinan  spoke  to 
them  kindly  in  Spanish,  and  motioned  to  them  to  sit 


BOCKY  CANYON  AND  MESA  LANDS  OF  ARIZONA. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


103 


down.  They  sat  down,  and  asked  for  tobacco  and 
pipes  ; which  he  gave  them,  and  they  smoked  awhile 
in  token  of  friendship.  Then  they  asked  for  some- 
thing lo  eat  Mr.  Oatman  told  them  his  family  were 
nearly  starving — that  they  had  a long  journey  before 
them,  and  could  ill  spare  any  portion  of  their  scanty 
stock.  However,  lie  gave  them  a little  bread,  and 
said  he  was  sorry  he  could  not  give  them  more. 
After  this  they  stood  off  a little  and  talked  in  a low 
tone,  while  Oatman  set  to  work  to  re-load  the  wagon. 
It  was  observed  that  the  Indians  looked  anxiously 
down  the  road  as  if  expecting  some  approaching  party. 
Suddenly,  with  a terrific  yell,  they  jumped  in  the  air, 
and  dashed  with  uplifted  clubs  upon  the  doomed 
family'.  Lorenzo,  a boy  fourteen  years  of  age,  was 
struck  on  the  head  and  felled  to  the  earth  the  first 
blow.  Several  of  the  savages  rushed  upon  Oatman, 
and  he  was  seen  for  a moment  struggling  in  their 
midst,  but  soon  fell  a mutilated  corpse  at  their  feet. 
Mrs.  Oatman  pressed  her  youngest  child  to  her  bosom, 
and  struggled  with  a mother’s  heroic  devotion  to  save 
it,  shrieking  in  piercing  accents,  u Help ! help ! Oh, 
for  the  love  of  God,  will  nobody  save  us  ! 11  A few 
blows  of  the  murderous  clubs  quickly  silenced  the 
poor  mother  and  her  babe  ; and  in  less  than  a minute 
the  whole  family,  save  Lorenzo,  Olive,  and  Mary 
Anne,  were  lying  dead  or  moaning  in  their  death- 


194 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


struggles  upon  tlie  ground.  Olive,  a girl  sixteen  years 
of  age,  and  Mary  Anne,  a frail  child  of  eleven,  were 
dragged  aside  and  held  in  the  iron  grasp  of  two  In- 
dians. Lorenzo,  the  hoy,  was  stunned  by  the  crush- 
ing blows  which  had  fallen  upon  his  head,  and  lay 
bleeding  by  the  edge  of  the  precipice.  In  his  narra- 
tive he  states  that  he  soon  recovered  his  conscious- 
ness, and  distinctly  heard  the  yells  of  the  Apaches, 
mingled  with  the  shrieks  and  dying  groans  of  his 
parents.  The  savages  seeing  him  move,  rifled  his 
pockets  and  cast  him  over  the  precipice.  Upon  a 
careful  examination  of  the  spot — as  shown  to  the 
right  of  the  road  in  the  accompanying  sketch — I esti- 
mated that  he  must  have  fallen  twenty  feet  before  he 
struck  the  rocky  slope  of  the  mesa.  That  he  was  not 
instantly  killed  or  maimed  beyond  recovery  seems 
miraculous.  Strange  discordant  sounds,  he  tells  us, 
grated  upon  his  ears,  gradually  dying  away,  and  then 
he  heard  “ strains  of  such  sweet  music  as  completely 
ravished  his  senses.”  ****** 
As  soon  as  the  Apachbs  had  consummated  the  massa- 
cre of  the  Oatman  family  and  plundered  the  wagon  of  its 
contents,  they  fled  across  the  river,  taking  with  them 
the  two  captives,  Olive  and  Mary  Anne.  These  un- 
fortunate girls  had  seen  their  parents,  brothers,  and 
sisters  cruelly  murdered,  and  were  now  dragged  away, 
bare-headed  and  shoeless,  through  a rude  and  desolate 


PICTURESQUE  EIZONA. 


195 


wilderness.  Ferocious  threats  and  even  clubs  were 
used  to  hurry  them  along.  Their  feet  were  lacerated, 
and  their  scanty  clothes  were  torn  from  their  bodies 
in  passing  over  the  rocky  mesas  and  through  dense 
and  thorny  thickets.  Sometimes  the  younger  sister 
faltered  from  sheer  lack  of  strength,  but  the  savage 
wretches,  unmindful  of  her  sufferings,  beat  her  and 
threatened  to  dispatch  her  at  once  if  she  lagged  be- 
hind. She  said  it  was  useless  to  try  any  more — she 
might  as  well  die  at  once;  A brutal  wretch  of  the 
tribe  seized  her  as  she  sank  to  the  ground,  and  casting 
her  across  his  back  started  off  on  a trot.  * 

* * * Through  the  services  of  Fran- 

cisco, a Yuma  Indian,  the  purchase  of  Olive  from  the 
Mojaves  was  effected  by  Mr.  Grinnell,  in  February, 
1856.  She  was  brought  down  to  a place  on  the  Colo- 
rado at  an  appointed  time.  Here  Mr.  Grinnel  met 
her.  She  was  sitting  on  the  ground,  as  he  described 
the  scene  to  me,  with  her  face  covered  by  her  hands. 
So  completely  was  she  disguised  by  long  exposure  to 
the  sun,  by  paint,  tattooing  and  costume,  that  he 
could  not  believe  she  was  a white  woman.  When 
he  spoke  to  her,  she  made  no  answer,  but  cried  and 
kept  her  face  covered.  It  was  not  for  several  days 
after  her  anivalat  Fort  Yuma  that  she  could  utter 
more  than  a few  broken  words  of  English.  Subse- 
quently she  met  her  brother,  and  was  taken  by  him  to 


196 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


his  residence  near  Los  Angeles.  After  that  they  lived 
awhile  in  Oregon. 

Since  this  account  of  the  unfortunate  girl  was  given, 
I learn  she  came  to  New  York  State,  and  afterwards 
died  in  an  insane  asylum. 

Surrounding  the  Oatman’s  Flat,  is  a very  good 
specimen  of  the  different  peculiar  formations  of  the 
mesas  so  common  in  Arizona.  These  mesas  are  the 
bug-bears,  the  temper-agitators,  the  malin-esprits  of  the 
desert  to  a class  of  people  in  Arizona  vast  in  numbers, 
but  more  important  than  vast.  These  are  the  freight 
drivers  of  the  plains.  u Freighting  on  the  plains,’  is 
a term  that  arouses  a deep  interest  to  any  one  who 
has  seen  and  contemplated  it  in  all  its  bearings — 
vicissitudes  and  benefits  alike.  To  see  a freight  team 
on  the  plains  tugging  up  one  of  these  mesas  is  a sight 
which  would  arouse  the  sympathies  of  any  one  at  all 
sensitive  to  toils  and  pains.  The  wagons  (shall  we 
call  them  wagons?)  will  sometimes  carry  as  high  as 
seventy-five  thousand  pounds  freight,  and  require  any- 
where from  ten  to  twenty  mules  ; which,  in  Arizona 
parlance  means  horses,  mules,  donkeys,  and  even  in 
some  cases  oxen  all  harnessed  together  in  one  team. 
The  effect  is  rather  ludicrous  at  first  sight ; but  when 
we  observe  the  “ happy-family  ” instinct  with  which 
they  assimilate,  one  begins  to  believe  in  the  inillen- 
ium,  and  is  relieved  of  his  grating  spirit  in  the  hopes 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA, 


197 


that  this  order  of  things  will  tend  equally  to  leaven  the 
many  diverse  conditions  of  Arizona  society  and  hasten 
the  assimilation  of  the  Mexican,  the  Indian,  the  white 
man,  the  black  man  ; the  murderous  Apache  and  the 
indefatigable  “ road  agent.  On  many  occcaions  seve- 
ral of  these  wagons  (generally  two  or  three)  will  be 
linked  together,  and  a comparative  force  employed  to 
haul  them.  And  when  the  traveler  meets,  as  he  often 
will,  with  several  of  these  combinations,  making  up 
one  long  train,  it  is  a sight  to  behold.  The  drivers 
like  those  of  the  passenger  stage  coach,  like  company, 
and  will  strive  to  travel  as  many  together  as  possible. 

The  first  intimation  you  have  of  the  approach  of 
these  teams,  is  a cloud  of  dust  in  the  distance,  which, 
as  you  journey  on  assumes  the  proportion  of  a moun- 
tain. Then  you  will  see  a black  speck  in  the  centre 
of  it.  This  will  disappear  and  reappear  as  rapidly 
again  through  the  dense  clouds  of  dust  which  are  being 
as  rapidly  supplied  by  the  stir  of  the  animal’s  hoofs. 
Occasionally  you  will  hear  a deep  smothered  voice  as 
if  from  the  distance ; or  from  some  enclosed  place  ; and 
during  the  continuance  of  the  echo  a vast  number  of 
intonations  will  be  reflected  by  the  rapidly  increasing 
changes  of  dust  clouds.  You  become  interested  in 
the  coming  spectacle.  There  is  a spirit  sent  before  it 
that  tells  you  it  is  something  a little  different  from  any- 
thing you  have  seen  before.  Still  nearer  and  nearer  these 


198 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


dust  clouds  appear,  until  you  can  seethe  volumes  of  dust 
like  volumes  of  smoke  from  a conflagration,  roll  and  play 
about  their  common  victims,  man  and  beast  alike,  as 
majestically  as  the  clouds  at  the  foot  of  some  moun- 
tain range.  Now  the  yells  and  shouts  of  the  teamsters 
spurring  their  animals  on  under  their  weary  load,  will 
become  more  and  more  audible.  Perhaps  they  will 
just  be  ascending  some  side  of  a steep  mesa;  in  which 
case,  if  you  happened  to  have  got  near  enough  by  this 
time  to  distinguish  the  sound,  you  will  hear  the  crack 
of  their  “snake,”  accompanied  by  vociferous  yells. 
You  will  now,  too,  for  the  first  time,  be  able  to  learn 
the  cause  of  all  this  commotion.  The  yells  become 
fiercer  and  louder,  and  the  lash  of  the  whip  upon  the 
struggling  animals  more  frequent  and  forcible.  Sounds 
too,  which  to  a delicate  ear  will  heighten  the  interest, 
if  not  elevate  the  spirit  of  a person,  like  hail  stones  in 
an  April  shower.  The  tinkle  of  bells  fastened  around 
the  animals’  necks  soften  like  sweet  sounding  timbrels, 
the  gushing,  grating  noise  of  the  heavy  laden  wheels 
over  the  rocky  mesa.  After  having  reached  the  top 
of  the  mesa  and  crossed  it,  the  descent  on  the  other 
side  to  valley,  plain,  and  desert,  is  wrought  with  the 
same  uproarious  commotion  as  the  ascent  had  been  be- 
fore. The  load  is  equally  as  difficult  to  hold  back  now 
as  it  was  to  haul  up.  Some  of  these  freight  wagons 
carry  at  a time  from  seventy  to  seventy -five  thousand 


' 


THE  CONTINENT  STEREOSCOPIC  COMPANY’S 
ARTIST  VIEWING  IN  ARIZONA. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA 


201 


pounds  of  merchandise  — from  thirty  to  thirty -five 
tons. 

One  of  the  leading  features  of  interest  to  the  trav- 
eler in  this  Mesa  land  is  the  system  of  pre-historic  land- 
marks he  is  constantly  coming  in  contact  with  on  all 
sides.  Man  has  as  yet, however,  derived  very  little  pos- 
itive knowledge  of  them  from  any  research  or  investi- 
gation, and  they  remain  to  this  day  a source  of  specu- 
lative interest  to  the  traveler,  from  the  time  he  leaves 
the  Colorado,  at  Yuma  or  Ehrenberg,  until  he  com- 
pletes his  journe}'.  It  is  in  these  features  that  Arizona 
presents  herself  as  the  land  for  the  Archaeologist,  the 
Psychologist,  and  all  curious  minds.  Among  the  fore- 
most of  these  are  the  “Painted  Pocks”  (Pedras  Pin- 
tados). 

About  six  miles  from  Oaiman’s  Flat,  on  an  extensive 
plain,  encircled  by  the  famous  Arizona  Mountains,  is 
to  be  seen  the  largest  and  most  perfect  specimens  of 
these  Painted  Pocks  (Pedras  Pintados).  They  are  in 
the  Gila  valley  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  from 
Tucson,  Latitude,  33°,  Longitude  113°.  To  stop  and 
examine  these  wonders  of  the  pre-historic  age,  is  only 
to  enhance  the  great  enchantment  that  waylays  the 
traveler  in  Arizona  on  every  hand.  They  are  a mass 
of  rocks,  evidently  piled  by  some  phj'sical  power,  ages 
ago.  They  are  massed  together  in  a heap  about  fifty 
feet  high  with  a proportionate  base;  and  while  some 


202 


riCTTTRESQUE  ARIZONA. 


are  of  a size  that  may  be  lifted  by  a man,  others 
might  be  ranked  with  boulders.  On  these  rocks  or 
stones,  are  various  figures  and  images.  Figures,  geo- 
metrical, conic,  and  anatomical.  A figure  on  one  of 
the  stones  particularly  attracted  my  attention.  It  was 
that  of  a man  or  woman.  It  reminded  me  of  my  first 
attempt  to  draw  a man  on  my  slate  at  school.  A 
big  round  “O’’  for  a body,  a little  round  “o”  for  ahead, 
two  little  straight  lines  for  arms,  and  two  big  straight 
lines  for  legs.  This  I classed  among  the  comical 
Squares,  circles,  triangles,  crosses, — snakes,  toads,  and 
vermin  ; men  without  heads,  and  dogs  without  tails. 

In  comparing  them  with  some  sketches  I made  of 
the  Aztec  Calendar  Stone  in  Mexico,  they  show  some 
variations,  though  a similarity.  The  figures  are  slight- 
ly indented  in  the  rocks  ; and  whether  it  is  the  result 
of  force  at  the  time  of  application,  or  whether  the 
chemical  effect  of  the  substance  used,  eating  into  the 
rock,  are  questions  with  me.  I found  it  to  be  a com- 
mon tradition  with  the  Indians  that  they  were  put 
there  in  the  time  of  Montezuma,  to  record  treaties 
with  the  different  tribes.  This  would  make  them  four 
hundred  years  old.  Some  geologists  claim  the  inscrip- 
tions to  be  only  one  hundred  years  old.  Comparing 
them  again  with  my  photographs  of  the  Aztec  Calen- 
dar stone,  the  similarity  would  seem  to  support  the 
theory  that  they  might  have  been  the  chronicling  of 


THE  PAINTED  ROCKS  (PEDROS  PINTARDOS)  ON  THE  PLAINS  OF  ARIZONA. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


205 


that  age,  and  the  variations  suggest,  by  perhaps  dif- 
ferent tribes  or  sects  of  that  age.  This  would  seem  to 
have  some  weight,  as  the  stones  are  of  an  indiscrimi- 
nate collection  and  the  paintings  are  as  indiscrimi- 
nately distributed  as  regards  the  size  of  rock,  in  pro- 
portion to  the  amount  of  chronicling  to  be  done,  I 
should  imagine.  Opinions,  however,  are  as  varied  as 
in  other  cases  concerning  the  archaeology  of  this  most 
wonderful  country.  In  regard  to  the  rocks,  it  has  been 
suggested  that  they  were  monuments  of  boundary 
lines  between  the  different  tribes’  lands.  It  is  the 
reader’s  turn  to  go  forward  and  add  his  investigations 
to  the  yet  meagre  knowledge  of  the  stone. 

The  morning  of  our  visit  was  on  the  Sabbath.  We 
sang  requiems  to  the  departed  souls  of — of  many  un- 
known beings ; made  and  drank  two  or  three  gal- 
lons of  lemonade,  (for  the  desert  was  warm)  reveled 
among  the  antiquities,  taking  notes,  making  sketches, 
copying  inscriptions,  etc.,  etc.  One  of  our  party  finally 
suggested  that  we  read  a chapter  in  the  Bible,  it  being 
Sunday.  With  the  consent  of  all  it  was  done ; and 
when  he  came  to  the  last  clause  “Rise  and  go  hence  ” 
we  were  reminded  that  we  were  encroaching  on  our 
time  by  the  influence  of  allurement,  and  that  thegreat 
Prompter  was  with  us  even  in  the  desert.  I am  glad 
to  be  able  to  record  this  little  circumstance ; for  a man 
is  known  by  the  company  he  keeps,  etc.,  etc. 


206 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


A want  has  heretofore  been  felt  for  a true  and  accu- 
rate illustration  of  many  of  Arizona’s  out-of-the-way 
wonders.  But  the  Continent  Stereoscopic  Company 
of  New  York  has  very  materially  supplied  those  wants 
during  the  past  year,  by  photographs  taken  at  many 
of  these  interesting  points.  Many  of  these  I have  se- 
cured for  illustrations  in  this  book.  The  picture  of 
the  Painted  Rocks  on  page  205  is  from  a photograph 
taken  by  this  company,  and  the  first  one  that  was 
ever  procured. 


CflAPTER  XTTI. 


THE  SALT  RIVER  VALLEY— LOST  ON  A DESERT — “ HAPPY  CAMP  n 
A DOLLAR  DRINK— WATER  TWENTY-FIVE  CENTS— THE  BED 
IN  THE  MANGER— MULE  VERSUS  MAN— IMPORTANT  CONSID- 
ERATIONS—MONTEZUMA  OR  WASHINGTON,  WHICH  ? 

E had  left  the  Gila  Bend,  where  the  Gila  makes 


a bold  sweep  from  its  eastward  course — turns 
north  and  emerges  into  the  Salt  River — where  it  fur- 
nishes one  of  the  richest  valleys  in  the  State.  Our 
course  now  was  to  be  over  a section  of  country  differ- 
ing very  much  from  our  former  travels  along  the  Gila, 
and  resembling  in  character  the  land  similar  to  that 
left  by  the  receding  of  some  portions  of  the  great  sea. 
For  miles,  the  land  is  composed  of  a rich  sandy  loam 
which,  when  irrigated,  produces  largely.  There  are 
nine  thousand  acres  of  land  under  cultivation  in  the 
Salt  River  valley  alone.  This  character  of  land  con- 
tinues for  ninety  miles  to  Florence,  from  which  point 
going  eastward  still,  you  enter  a more  mountainous 
country.  This  description  of  the  land  applies  to  the 
section  from  the  Gila  Bend  to  Florence  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  first  fifteen  miles,  which  is  spread  over 


208 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


as  desolate  a waste  as  any  one  would  wish  to  see,  and 
which  brings  us  to  the  famous  “ happy  camp.” 

On  the  10th  of  December  at  10.30  we  arrived  at  the 
famous  “ Happy  Camp  ” — or  rather  a portion  of  our 
party  did.  We  had  intended  pushing  on  that  day 
across  the  desert  to  Maricopa  Wells,  but  a mishap  befel 
us,  so  we  were  compelled  to  remain  the  rest  of  the  day 
on  account  of  the  loss  of  one  of  our  party.  The  case 
was  after  this  wise  : 

Before  arriving  at  the  camp  we  lost  sight  of  one  of 
our  wagons.  We  were  not  alarmed  at  this,  however, 
thinking  they  had  got  on  faster  than  we,  or  that  they 
had  taken  another  road,  there  being  two.  We  arrived 
at  the  camp  but  the  other  portion  of  our  party  had  not. 
We  wraited  until  twelve  P.  M.  arid  then  our  fears  began 
to  be  agitated,  and  a consultation  being  held  by  our 
party  on  the  spot  an  hour  after  our  arrival,  it  was  de- 
clared that  the  other  wagon  must  have  been  lost,  and 
when  those  words  “lost  on  the  desert”  fell  upon  my 
ear,  a chill  ian  through  my  whole  frame.  Visions  of 
the  skeletons  on  the  great  Mojave  desert  in  the  north, 
and  the  wayside  graves  along  the  Gila,  came  up  before 
me  and  1 felt  lonely.  We  despatched  at  once  a son  of  t 
the  station  agent,  who  was  experienced  in  all  Indian 
trails  and  roads  to  seek  after  the  missing  party  and 
guide  them  aright.  At  two  P.  M.  cheers  arose  from  our 
party  at  the  camp,  at  the  sight  of  the  missing  wagon 


THE  REGION  OF  THE  “THOUSAND  WELLS,”  ON  A HIGH  ROCKY  MESA, 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


211 


coming  around  a stony  mound  a short  distance  from 
us.  Many  congratulations  met  the  youthful  guide  of 
the  plains  who  had  safely  guided  our  straying  party  to 
its  haven  and  its  friends,  together  with  something  of  a 
more  solid  and  substantial  nature. 

“Happy  Camp”  is  an  anomaly  in  its  nomenclature; 
and  yet  the  happiness  we  experienced  in  meeting  our 
lost  companions  threw  some  light  upon  what  might 
have  possibly  been  the  incentive  to  the  title  it  now 
enjoys.  Plow  do  we  know  what  succor  some  way- 
faring, depressed  or  perhaps,  starving  pioneer  had  re- 
ceived from  a more  successful  traveler  at  this  particu- 
lar point.  Or  how  from  beneath  the  Apaches  club,  or 
the  Navejo’s  tomahawk,  some  helpless  one  has  been 
snatched  by  the  timely  arrival  of  some  mountain  trap- 
per or  mining  prospector.  It  must  have  been  some 
such  condition  as  this  that  gained  for  this  sterile, 
gloomy  place,  its  “happy  ” name.  It  is  situated  on  a 
barren  tract  at  the  foot  of  a scattered,  diminutive 
range  of  mountains,  where  the  presumptuous  cactus 
(Saguara)  like  a vaunting  egotist,  rears  its  haughty  head 
and  reigns  supreme  where  it  has  no  competing  foe. 
Stretching  far  away  over  the  crested  billows  of  the 
rolling  valley  of  the  Gila  can  be  seen  the  crested  sen- 
tinels of  the  hills  and  plains. 

Contrary  to  the  name  then,  this  spot  is  a dreary  one, 
and  yet  the  marvelous  and  extensive  valleys  that  one 


212 


ricrr  resqu  e arizon  a. 


sees  again  after  crossing  the  one  ridge  of  mountains 
to  the  east  verities  the  assertion  of  Prof.  Wheeler,  that 
a large  portion  of  the  lands  are  or  can  be  made  agri- 
cultural. 

At  this  station  water  has  to  be  brought  tifteen  miles 
from  the  Gila  River,  and  the  charge  of  twenty-five 
cents  per  head  is  made  for  watering  horses.  I think 
the  price  was  formerly  one  dollar:  but  from  some 
advanced  facilities  in  fetching  it. — it  has  recently  been 
reduced.  "Happy  Camp,"  like  many  of  the  - Hotels  of 
the  desert  " is  nothing  more  than  a camping  spot,  and 
combines  all  the  vicissitudes  as  well  as  the  ecstatic  di- 
versities of  life  on  a frontier.  The  scenery  around  1*3 
dismal  and  the  character  of  the  little  mountlet* 
mounds  and  peaks  that  hem  us  in  close  by.  give  the 
whole  a dreary  effect.  But  if  interest  alone,  makes 
beauty  in  a thing,  then  this  place  would  deserve  em- 
phatically the  name  of  beautiful.  One  little  event  ex- 
perienced here.  I would  not  sell  for  any  other  one  of  the 
trip.  When  night  came,  always  having  the  same  in- 
terest in  that  great  natural  restorative  sleep,  as  I have  in 
the  more  material  one  mentioned  by  Art  emus  Ward 
of  the  “ stumik.  became  somewhat  anxious  for  our 
place  of  repose.  On  this  open,  fruitless,  barren,  even 
grass.css  spot,  we  found  no  p.aee  to  equal  that  of  the 
corral  where  the  mules  had  already  been  placed  for 
snelter  and  repose.  T nev  had  of  cou  rse  been  put  in 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


215 


the  most  pleasant  and  comfortable  stalls  in  the  corral, 
made  for  their  protection  from  the  tornadoes  or  sand 
storms  that  sometimes  blow  across  these  wasted  plains  in 
a very*  reckless  manner  to  say  the  least  The  corral,  as 
most  all  do,  throughout  this  land,  consisted  of  trunks 
of  small  trees  for  the  corner  pieces,  and  the  rest  made 
up  of  an  association  of  reeds  or  stalks  of  the  different 
cacti  of  the  location,  and  the  top  had  a pretended  cov- 
ering of  the  coarse  hay  or  weeds  of  the  desert  around. 
However,  this  did  not  prevent  you  from  seeing  the 
stars  at  will,  nor  of  enjoying  the  refreshing  spatterings 
of  the  rain  if  it  should  come. 

The  propriety  of  turning  the  brute  animals  out  was 
first  considered;  but  some  one  who  had  evidently  ac- 
quired the  spirit  of  a “ Bergh,”  protested.  Stating  that 
if  one  of  our  party  should  be  taken  sick,  or  catch  his 
death  of  cold,  or  die,  it  would  not  make  so  much  dif- 
ference, as  we  could  really  go  on  without  him.  But  if 
our  mules  were  to  meet  the  like  fate — 11  What  would  we 
do?”  to  be  sure.  We  of  course  admitted  the  argu- 
ment As  I write  this,  the  thought  suggests  itself, 
how  singularly  the  condition  of  things,  or  circum- 
stances, will  transverse  the  whole  aspect  of  a case.  At 
all  events,  as  time  progressed,  it  became  more  and 
more  apparent  that  our  lot  was  to  be  a bed  in  the 
manger ; and  as  the  fact  forced  itself  upon  us  the  nov- 
elty of  it  became  more  prominent  To  humble  our 


216 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


selves  then  the  more,  got  by  degrees,  to  be  the  ambi- 
tion of  each  and  every  one  of  our  party.  There  were 
several  old  broken  stalls,  with  mangers  torn  down, 
or  delapidated,  which  had  b.een  decided,  by  the  firm 
protest  of  our  Berghite,  we  must  make  the  best  of  and 
use.  Not  the  best  now,  but  the  very  worst  of  these, 
each  one  wanted  to  claim,  either  to  immortalize  him- 
self by  his  sufferings,  or  to  the  more  thoroughly  con- 
tradict his  previous  selfish  impulse.  It  was  a solemn 
procession  that  night  as  we  all  walked  from  the  crude 
built  depot  on  one  side  of  the  road,  to  our  “lowly 
cots”  on  the  other.  Yes!  we  were  to  sleep  “in  a 
manger”  that  night.  As  vividly  was  the  story  of  our 
Maker  brought  to  our  minds  as  ever  was  done  by  the 
communion  table,  or  the  cross.  As  we  lay  there  watch- 
ing the  stars  twinkle  one  by  one,  no  one  will  or  can 
ever  know  perhaps  of  the  sentiments  that  occupied 
many  of  our  minds,  until  far  into  the  night.  I singled 
out  one  large  and  brilliant  star  and  named  it  the  “Star 
of  Bethlehem.”  I almost  fancied  I could  see  it  move. 
On  all  occasions,  however,  will  one  have  thrust  into 
liis  ear  these  misnomic  allusions  about  the  Arizona 
deserts.  One  man,  apparently  an  intelligent  gentle- 
man, said  to  me  in  riding  over  one  of  the  stage  lines 
on  the  Colorado  basin  : 

“I  tell  you  sir,  these  lands  will  never  be  worth  the 
paper  the  deed  maybe  written  upon.  Never!  Let 


PICTU T.  ESQUE  ARIZONA. 


217 


nnybocty  have  them  that  wants  them.  I would  give 
them  for  the  asking.” 

He  was  emphatic.  lie  knew  it  all,  evidently — or 
thought  he  did. 

“But!  My  dear  sir,”  said  I,  “How  do  we  know 
what  may  develop  to  prove  that  these  lands  may  be 
good  for  something  yet?  ” 

“ I don’t  care,”  said  lie  a little  irritably  “ they  never 
will  be  worth  the  paper  the  deed  is  made  on.  Besides,” 
said  he,  endeavoring  to  retain  a.  little  respect  for  his 
temper,  “you  can  only  argue  for  a thing  bv  what  }^ou 
know.” 

He  could  not  have  said  anything  that  would  have 
given  me  better  ground  for  my  argument.  The  ba- 
rometer for  argument  was  rising  in  me.  His  last  re- 
mark stirred  an  old  theme,  and  I said;  “Yes,  true, 
my  dear  sir,  but  here  is  just  where  your  great  error 
lies,  and  where  man  lacks  a great  mental  scope  ; where 
acting  upon  what  he  knows  only,  he  lays  down  theo- 
ries, and  allows  no  license  for  what  he  does  not 
know.  He  unwittingly  and  virtually  asserts  there  is 
nothing  beyond  what  he  does  really  know,  which  is 
the  worst  of  all  egotisms.” 

The  old  fellow  gave  me  a penetrating  glance  for  just 
a moment,  and  then  said,  “ Ah  ! you’re  too  intricate, 
young  man.” 

“Yes!  and  it  is  this  ignorance  of  these  ‘intricate’ 


218 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


things  that  often  work  the  greatest  harm,  and  keep 
the  world  back  in  all  its  practical  philosophy.” 

The  argument  ended  here.  I learned  afterward  that 
this  old  man  was  dyspeptic,  and  had  eaten  nothing  for 
either  breakfast  or  dinner  but  a glass  of  cold  water 
and  a cracker.  I had  eaten  on  each  occasion  two  beef- 
steaks, a broiled  chicken  on  toast,  about  a quart  of 
frejbles  (Mexican  beans),  and  all  other  things  in  pro- 
portion. He  had  to  pay  his  dollar,  however^  as  well  as 
1,  this  being  the  price  of  a meal  in  Arizona,  whether 
it  be  a “square  meal”  or — or  a meal  at  all.  He  was 
jealous  of  me.  While  I had  paid  due  reverence  to 
Artemus  Ward’s  admonition  to  “always  look  out  for 
your  ‘ stumik.’  ” 

At  Maricopa  Wells  there  is  an  oblong  isolated 
mountain  range — known  as  the  Sa-de-la~Estrella — one 
end  of  which  shows  a most  beautiful  and  perfect  pro- 
file of  the  old  historic  chief  of  the  Aztecs,  Montezuma 
— so  recognized  by  the  tribes  throughout  the  country. 
It  is  on  the  southern  spur  of  the  range.  The  moun- 
tains are  named  the  Montezuma  Mountains  from  this 
fact.  I have  never  been  able  to  see  profiles  with  any 
accuracy  or  readiness;  but  I must  confess  that  this 
profile  of  a human  face  carved  or  hewn  in  this  rock 
by  some  gigantic  power  will  show  itself  readily  to 
ninety-nine  out  of  every  one  hundred  people.  But  if 
accuracy  in  detail  of  a mountain  is  to  govern  the 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


219 


name,  then  to  my  mind  these  would  command  the 
name  of  Washington.  I for  one,  am  less  acquainted 
with  the  physical  appearance  of  Montezuma  than  of 
Washington;  and  from  that  stand-point  come  to  my 
decision.  Here,  as  bold  as  life,  between  heaven  and 
earth,  stands  the  Father  of  our  country  But  I must 
give  up  my  prejudices.  We  are  dealing  with  Aztec 
land  now,  as  identified  with  our  own.  We  have  spo- 
ken of  this  profile  as  a “beautiful”  profile.  At  the  hour 
of  one  of  Arizona’s  setting  suns,  it  supports  this  appel- 
lation emphatically.  Here,  with  its  golden  hair  em- 
blazoned with  the  fire  of  the  setting  sun,  and  the 
tinted  nose  of  a dark  shadowed  blue,  and  with  a more 
perfect  light  on  his  breast  showing  a continental  ruf- 
fled shirt-front,  Washington  (Montezuma)  faces  the 
west  in  all  the  boldness  of  outline  relief,  and  with  a 
positive  and  admiring  air  that  would  seem  to  re-echo 
the  words  to  all  the  world,  “Westward  the  course  of 
empire  takes  its  way.” 

The  Indians  have  a tradition  that  the  famous  Mon- 
tezuma is  buried  in  this  mountain,  and  that  some  day 
he  will  come  forward  to  deliver  and  redeem  his  people. 
This  superstition  extends  south,  way  into  Mexico. 
Not  a stone  of  this  mountain  will  any  of  the  Indians 
in  the  neighborhood  touch  upon  any  consideration. 
So  far  does  this  legend  of  this  natural  statuary  extend 
that  even  in  Mexico  I was  told,  when  there  in  ’74, 


220 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


that  some  fires  which  I saw  kindled  by  the  Indians, 
and  over  which  I noticed  some  formal  and  solemn 
performance  took  place,  was  in  anticipation  of  the 
coming  of  their  great  chief  Montezuma  down  from 
the  north,  where  he  was  resting  in  his  happy  hunting 
grounds.  In  some  locations  I understood,  these  fires 
were  kept  burning  almost  constantly  at  certain  seasons 
or  on  certain  occasions,  to  hasten  or  invoke  his  com- 
ing, evidently  feeling  their  depression  which  has  been 
a national  calamity  with  them  for  time  immemorial. 


PAPAGO  INDIAN  WOMEN 


GOING  FOR  HAY. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


THE  INDIAN— THE  PIMO,  THE  MARICOPA,  THE  PAPAGO,  THE 
ZUNI,  THE  MOQUI — THE  A.PACHE — THEIR  DIVERSITY. 


0 divided  and  sub-divided  are,  and  have  been  the 


various  tribes  of  Indians  in  the  Territory  of  Ari- 
zona for  the  past  few  decades,  that  it  would  take  a vol- 
ume in  itself  to  enumerate  and  describe  them.  Many  of 
these  too,  are  so  insignificant  in  numbers  as  well  as 
unimportant  in  history,  and  are  so  thoroughly  on  their 
“Inst  legs,”  that  it  would  be  useless,  had  we  both  time 
and  room. 

So  interested  had  our  party  became  with  Indian 
life;  and  so  much  in  excess  of  anything  we  had  yet 
seen,  in  point  of  numbers,  and  in  permanent  settle- 
ments were  the  Pimos,  that  we  made  a stop  here 
longer  than  usual,  and  had  our  ideas  of  Indian  life 
very  mnch  exalted  by  doing  so.  The  Pimos  are  loca- 
ted on  a rich  and  fertile  strip  of  land  two  hundred 
miles  from  the  Colorado  River,  east.  Although  to  a 
man  just  from  the  Yosemite  the  plain  might  seem  a 


224 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


little  tame,  the  back-ground  of  picturesque  mountains 
that  jut  up  and  relieve  the  valley  plain,  with  the  little 
Indian  village  of  dome  shaped  dwellings  scattered 
along  the  foreground  is  interesting.  They  number 
a little  over  four  thousand,  including  the  Maricopas, 
who,  about  the  year  seventeen  hundred  and  sixty, 
allied  with  the  Pimos.  The  genial  character  of  this 
tribe  (or  these  tribes)  must  be  well  established,  they 
having  held  strongly  to  their  alliances  to  the  present 
time.  Their  little  huts  are  built  with  reeds  of  various 
kinds,  nearly  upright,  slanting  a little  toward  the  cen- 
tre with  a domed  top.  The  height  will  average  about 
seven  feet  and  the  whole  is  covered  over  with  a layer 
of  mud  plaster.  A description  of  the  Pirno  Indian 
will  disappoint  the  school  boy  who  starts  at  the  word 
Indian  with*  visions  of  scalping-knife  and  tomahawk, 
and  a head  ornamented  with  flying  feathers.  But 
ho  must  wait  until  lie  comes  to  the  Apach&s  to  have 
his  fancies  realized. 

All  over  this  village  may  be  seen  the  Pimo  women 
going  to  and  fro,  on  some  active  mission  of  labor; 
while  over  the  whole  sunny  reservation  may  be  seen 
patches  of  peas,  beans,  pumpkins,  melons,  and  vegeta- 
bles of  all  kinds ; while  vast  fields  of  wheat,  barley,  corn 
and  the  larger  crops  may  be  seen  further  off.  Sorghum 
has  proved  a profitable  crop  in  this  valley.  In  1863, 
they  sold  seven  hundred  thousand  pounds  of  wheat  and 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA 


22 1 


flour  to  the  government  garrisons  and  travelers  and  mi- 
ners through  the  southern  Gila  valley.  One  might  say 
this  looks  a little  like  business,  and  have  a curiosity  to 
see  this  people.  Nor  can  the  people  nor  the  government 
in  its  Indian  policy  claim  any  credit  for  this  condition 
of  these  Indians.  As  early  as  the  sixteenth  century 
Father  De  Nica  from  Mexico  found  these  people  culti- 
vating the  soil.  For  three  hundred  years  they  have 
been  known  then  to  cultivate  this  land.  How  much 
longer  we  have  no  authenticity  to  show  ; and  I was 
informed  by  good  authority  while  in  Arizona,  that  du- 
ring that  time  it  is  pretty  well  established  the  land  has 
never  been  manured  in  any  way,  and  that  two  crops  a 
year  is  the  accustomed  yield.  These  facts  speak  well 
both  for  the  Indians  and  for  Arizona  lands.  The 
average  yield  of  wheat  is  twenty-nine  fold.  The 
crops  are  planted  in  December  and  July. 

The  morality  of  this  Indian  is  deplorable,  while  the 
social  customs  are  interesting.  The  mode  of  courtship 
is,  that  a young  Indian  approaches  the  hut  of  his 
sweetheart.  He  does  not  reach  it  at  this  stage  of  pro- 
ceedings, but  selects  some  comfortable  rock  for  a seat 
or  some  tree  or  bush,  and  there  remains  in  anxious  re- 
pose for  a certain  length  of  time — an  hour  or  so  we 
believe  it  is,  while  his  horse  he  ties  to  a tree  near  the 
house.  This  he  does  for  three  days.  If  the  maiden 
favors  him  she  will  feed  his  horse,  and  the  jig  is  up 


228 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


He  goes  any  time  after  the  three  days  and  claims  her. 
When  a husband  dies  the  wife  is  offered  to  any  man 
who  wants  a wife.  This  is  done  at  the  grave,  after 
sufficient  mourning  has  been  made  to  satisfy  their 
grief.  There  is  no  law,  however,  to  prevent  the  widow 
from  continuing  to  mourn  a reasonable  length  of  time. 
It  being  a custom  among  these  tribes  for  the  women  to 
do  all  the  toiling,  while  the  men  are  considered  to  have 
ample  on  their  hands  in  hunting  and  attending  to  the 
cause  of  war ; a well  and  able-bodied  "woman  does  not 
-want  long  for  the  protection  and  love  of  a man.  This 
matter  of  the  apportionment  of  work  to  the  males  and 
females  seems  to  be  identical  in  all  the  Indian  tribes  of 
our  country.  They  seem  to  think  the  trials  of  war,  and 
the  vigilance  required  in  hunting  to  keep  the  house- 
hold supplied  with  meats,  is  sufficient  to  offset  all 
other  labors  of  whatsoever  sort  or  kind,  for  all  others 
are  heaped  upon  the  women.  It  is  somewhat  sadden- 
ing to  a person  used  to  the  civilized  world’s  regard  for 
women  to  see  these  creatures  trudging  along  the  trail 
or  road,  with  a ponderous  basket  strapped  on  her  back, 
packed  with  many  pounds  burden,  while  alongside  of 
her  rides  her  husband  on  a horse  with  nothing  in  his 
hand  but  his  gun.  In  many  cases  the  person  will  be  her 
son ; while  the  mother  will  be  an  old  and  feeble 
woman.  In  one  case,  I actually  saw  one  of  these  old 
women,  a cripple  with  a staff.  The  young  man  rode 


# 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


231 


along  -with  as  unconcerned  a smile  as  though  he  had 
just  shot  a dozen  quail  on  the  wing  with  one  shot 
Well!  perhaps  he  had. 

Tlie  morals  of  these  Indians  are  bad.  The  mission- 
ary labors  for  seven  years,  have  been,  apparently,  ab- 
solutely lost  Not  one  convert  is  reported  to  have 
been  made,  and  licentiousness  is  becoming  more  and 
more  prevalent.  In  their  native  state  and  before  the 
influence  of  the  whites,  however,  the  Pimos  are  re- 
ported as  strictly  virtuous,  not  tolerating  any  incur- 
sions whatever,  upon  the  marriage  system. 

Southeast  of  the  Pi  mo  reservation  one  hundred 
miles,  is  the  Papago  reservation.  These  together  with 
the  Pimos  may  be  considered  the  model  Indians  of 
southern  Arizona,  except  the  Moqui  in  the  extreme 
northeast,  who  are  the  best  in  the  State.  Their  reser- 
vation consists  of  over  seventy  thousand  acres,  and 
their  industry  is  proverbial.  Being  nearer  to  the 
mountainous  or  elevated  portions,  they  are  inclined  to 
pastoral  pursuits  rather  than  agricultural,  although  both 
are  represented  well.  The  Papagos  resemble  the 
Pimos  with  some  few  traits  peculiar  to  themselves. 
They  once  belonged  to  the  tribe  of  the  Pimos,  and 
and  speak  the  same  language.  As  far  as  records 
show,  these  tribes,  which  number  over  ten  thousand 
in  all,  have  sustained  themselves  by  civil  pursuits,  and 
have  always  been  friendly  to  the  whites,  and  anxious 


232 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


to  learn  of,  and  pattern  from  them.  Had  it  not  been 
for  these  Indians,  which  constitute  the  larger  share  of 
all  others  in  the  Territory,  the  white  man  would  not 
to-day  be  able  to  travel  with  safety  from  the  Colorado 
River  across  the  plains  to  Tucson  and  to  the  rich 
mines  to  the  east. 

Contrary  to  the  Pimos  and  Papagos,  the  word 
Apache  has  for  many  years  been  identified  with  scenes 
of  bloodshed  and  murder,  theft  and  treachery.  These 
comprise  six  separate  tribes,  and  occupy  the  eastern 
and  southeastern  portion  of  the  State.  It  is  hard 
to  conceive  of  so  close  a proximity  of  two  classes 
of  people,  recognized  under  the  head  of  “In- 
dians,” and  yet  so  thoroughly  different,  occupying 
the  same  land  at  all.  It  suggests,  however,  that 
though  peaceful  in  nature  they  were  war-like  and 
brave  in  spirit  when  necessity  required  it.  The  most 
warlike  and  desperate  of  all  our  American  Indians 
save  the  Sioux,  they  have  never-the-less  been  driven 
back  and  held  at  bay  by  the  other  and  more  docile 
tribes.  Numbers  and  bravery  of  course  were  in  their 
favor. 

The  following  constituted  the  force  of  the  Apache 
in  76;  under  the  following  chiefs: — Is-kilte-shy-law 
with  twelve  hundred  Warriors;  Ma-guils  with  four 
hundred  Warriors ; Pedro  with  three  hundred  Warri- 


A SQUAD  OF  INDIANS  AT  A GAME  OF  CARDS. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


ors;  Es-ki-min-i-gui  with  — Warriors;  Diablo  with 
three  hundred  Warriors. 

By  this  it  will  be  seen  that  their  whole  force  could 
not  have  exceeded  two  thousand  available  warriors. 
Their  success  too,  was  founded  more  on  their  treach- 
ery and  stealthiness  than  on  their  bravery.  They 
were,  in  fact,  what  the  name  of  one  of  their  chief’s 
would  imply — “ Diablo  ” in  Spanish,  meaning  Devil. 
Their  warfare  consisted  in  murdering  innocent  men, 
women  and  children,  as  many  a grave,  and  skeletons 
of  wagons,  horses  and  human  beings  throughout  the 
Territory  will  attest.  So  sly  and  cunning  were  they, 
and  so  skilled  in  their  art  of  trickery,  that  their  depre- 
dations would  almost  amount  to  sleight  of  hand. 
While  sitting  and  talking  with  them,  they  would  steal 
a hat  from  off  your  head  and  you  not  know  it.  They 
occupy  the  eastern  portion  of  the  State ; but  their  in- 
cursions extended  throughout  the  whole  Territory  un- 
til ’74,  when  their  chief — the  remarkable  Cochise,  died. 
This  Cochise  was  the  terror  of  the  country.  His 
many  strongholds  were  almost  impenetrable  to  any  but 
Indian  experts,  and  always  commanded  some  public 
highway.  Often  in  traveling  through  the  Territory 
men  would  dr^  from  their  horses,  ignorant  of  where 
the  cause  came  from  ; or  would  be  in  an  instant  and 
without  any  warning  beset  by  these  “devils”  who 
would  seem  to  rise  right  up  from  the  ground.  * * * 


236 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


But  no  matter  what  the  diversity  may  be  in  these  dif- 
ferent nations  and  tribes  of  Indians,  the  most  interest- 
ing are  those  of  the  Zuni  and  the  Moqui  inhabiting  a 
section  of  country  in  the  extreme  northeastern  part  of 
Arizona,  and  extending  into  New  Mexico;  The  Mo- 
quis  are  in  Arizona,  while  the  Zunis  are  in  New  Mex- 
ico; and.  while  our  party  are  spending  the  night  with 
this  interesting  people,  the  Pimos,  I will  give  some 
entertaining  facts  concerning  the  M<>quis  and  Zunis  of 
the  northeast. 


AN  UNWELCOME  VISITOR. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


THE  ZUNI  AND  MOQUI— THE  MODEL  AMERICAN  INDIAN— THEIR 
VILLAGES— MODES  OF  LIFE— MORALS— REBECCA  AT  THE 
WELL — GAMES  AND  PASTIMES — A SACRED  RITE — SHREWD  - 
N ESS — HOSPITALITY. 

LTHOUGH  not  existing  wholly  in  Arizona,  the 


proximity  of  the  Zuni  and  Moqui  villages  and  its 
people,  the  Territory  together  with  its  associate  inter- 
ests, prevent  us  from  passing  this  wonderful  people 
unnoticed. 

The  old  tribe  of  the  Zuni  inhabit  a region  extend- 
ing on  both  sides  of  the  line  between  Arizona  and 
New  Mexico.  They  are  destined  to  prove,  or,  perhaps^ 
are  the  most  interesting  of  all  our  aborigines,  probably 
on  account  of  our  ignorance  of  them.  The  habitation 
of  these  people  comprise  seven  cities — three  of  which 
are  known  a s the  Moqui  villages,  and  are  in  Arizona. 
The  main  Pueblo  or  village  is  situated  in  the  fertile 
and  picturesque  Zuni  valley. 

The  first  and  leading  feature  in  a visit  to  this  people 
is  their  village,  or  the  system  under  -which  they  exist 
as  a community.  The  whole  tribe  of  the  Zuni,  which 


240 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


in  76,  numbered  about  three  thousand  people,  live  in 
one  settlement.  Their  houses  are  not  detached  as  in 
ordinary  cities,  but  are  a system  of  houses  massed  to- 
gether in  one  grand  structure,  in  the  following  manner. 
An  elevated  section  of  country  which  overlooks  the 
surrounding  lowlands  and  valleys,  is  selected.  A 
position  on  this  elevation,  where  portions  of  it  gives  a 
slope  of  perhaps  45°  or  more,  is  also  chosen. 
Up  this  incline,  the  houses,  or  the  sections  of  the  one 
grand  house,  are  built — the  one  over-lapping  the  pre- 
vious one  to  about  a quarter  or  a third  of  its  area. 
The  one  in  the  Zuni  valley  is  six  stories  high,  com- 
mencing at  the  first  house,  or  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill, 
you  approach  bv  a ladder,  to  the  top  of  that  house, 
and  there  you  find  the  entrance  (or  the  front  door)  of 
that  house,  in  the  place  where  the  skylight  of  an  Amer- 
ican house  is  situated.  From  the  roof  of  this  house  you 
approach  the  same  way,  by  the  ladder,  the  top  of  the 
succeeding  house,  or  section  of  the  great  house,  and 
proceed  to  enter  it  as  you  did  the  previous  one.  So 
this  system  is  carried  on  throughout  this  communal 
condition  of  life.  The  size  of  the  whole  may  be  com- 
prehended when  we  say  it  covers  twelve  acres.  The 
second  leading  feature  is  the  type  of  some  of  the  sub- 
jects. A few  have  nearly  while  hair,  resembling  gen- 
erally what  is  termed  an  English  tow-head.  It  is  only 
occasionally  you  will  see  one ; and  whether  these  are  a 


MI-SHONG-I-NI-VI.  — A VILLAGE  OF  THE  MOQUIS  IN 
NORTH-EASTERN  PART  OF  ARIZONA. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


243 


phenomena  in  the  one  race,  or  a remnant  of  another,  is  as 
jet,  a query  to  the  ethnologist.  Also,  specimens  will 
be  found  exhibiting  pink  or  blue  eyes.  Both  of  these 
classes  are  however,  rare.  In  the  absence  of  any 
method  of  chronicling  events  being  found  among  them, 
they  afford  ample  scope  for  the  culture  of  the  histo- 
rian. Where  they  came  from  is  as  anxious  an  inquiry 
of  the  ethnologist  as  the  question  a Where  are  they 
destined  to  go  to?”  is  with  the  psychologist  or  re- 
ligionist. It  is  supposed  that  the  style  ol  dwellings  is 
the  result  of  necessary  protection  of  by-gone  times. 
Whether  Cortes  and  his  allies;  whether  more  subse- 
quently, the  treacherous  Mexican  desperado  of  which 
at  no  distant  day  this  country,  was  infested,  perhaps 
either  of  these  could  best  tell  us,  or  whether  the  un- 
merciful persecutions  of  a more  formidable  tribe  of  In- 
dians, is  a question  perhaps  the  ancestors  of  the  war- 
like Apache  of  Arizona  could  answer.  I am  of  the 
opinion  it  was  some  condition  of  the  latter.  All  the 
region  of  country  included  within  the  limits  of  New 
Mexico  and  Arizona  already  traveled  over  or  explored, 
brings  to  the  surface  new  evidences  of  persecution, 
annihilation  or  submission. 

One  body  of  ruins  covering  an  area  of  many  acres 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Colorado,  between  Yuma  (Ari- 
zona City)  and  Ehrenberg,  exhibit  one  of  these  inter- 
esting sections,  where  nothing  remains  to  trace  the 


244 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


origin,  duration  or  occupation.  Whether  it  was  an 
extensive  camp  of  permanent  miners  who  were  mur- 
dered by  Indians,  or  ransacked  or  annihilated  by  out- 
laws, is  likely  to  remain  a secret.  In  the  absence  of 
positive  knowledge  we  are  apt  to  concede  it  to  the 
rapacity  of  the  more  fierce  and  warlike  Apaches. 

Although  void  of  any  system  of  chronicling  events, 
like  all  the  Indians  of  our  West,  the  Zuni  are  in  all 
other  respects  far  superior,  from  the  Anglo-Saxon 
stand-point  of  civilization.  They  are  thrifty  and  fru- 
gal. Their  lands  extend  for  a distance  of  ten  miles 
east  and  west  of  the  boundary  line  between  Arizona 
and  New  Mexico,  and  seem  to  have  been  chosen  with 
good  discretion  as  they  embody  some  of  the  finest 
agricultural  lands  on  this  region.  For  the  distance  of 
upwards  of  a hundred  miles  south  of  the  Zuni  vil- 
lage there  is  an  arroya  embracing  a series  of  small 
valleys,  watered  by  mountain  streams  and  a system  of 
natural  springs  which,  could  the  device  of  man  cause 
to  share  their  lot  with  the  otherwise  fertile  soil  of  the 
so-called  deserts  of  the  western  part  of  the  State, 
would  cause  that  emblematic  desert  rose  to  assume  all 
its  brilliancy.  The  little  valley  of  the  Zuni  is  about 
six  miles  wide  at  the  longitude  of  the  Zuni  village, 
and  runs  jnst  here,  almost  due  east  and  west  The 
Zuni  village  is  located  on  the  north  side  of  the  Zuni 
river,  which  runs  directly  through  the  centre  of  the 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


245 


valley.  The  valley  is  dotted  here  and  there  vv i L 1 1 
mesas,  on  one  of  which  tlie  Zuni  villages  are  built; 
and  from  the  elevation  of  which,  ranging  from  twenly- 
five  to  a hundred  feet,  a most  charming  view  may  be 
obtained  lor  three  miles  each  way  across  the  valley. 
It  reminds  one  somewhat  of  the  cheerful  views  in 
many  of  the  upland  valleys  of  Mexico.  Valleys,  hills 
and  dales,  nooks,  rocks,  and  the  like,  present  here 
that  necessary  diversity  that  pleases  the  sight,  and 
which  characterizes  the  Territory  of  Arizona  as  the 
traveler  goes  eastward. 

The  crops  of  these  people  are  raised  without  irriga- 
tion. Their  principal  products  are  corn,  wheat,  barley, 
pumpkins,  melons,  beans,  and  most  of  the  vegetables ; 
and  in  importance  and  quantity  range  in  about  the  or- 
der given — corn  being  the  largest  crop.  Over  the 
mesas  and  in  the  beautiful  valleys  may  be  seen  hand- 
somely arranged  garden  spots  equal  in  neatness  and 
attractiveness  to  those  of  the  Teutons.  Peach  or- 
chards varying  from  a quarter  of  an  acre  down.  Bed 
pepper,  garlic  and  the  smaller  vegetables  are  raised  in 
gardens  of  various  dimensions,  and  the  gardens  are 
symbols  of  symmetrical  neatness  and  cleanness.  They 
are  attended  and  cnliivated  by  the  women  and  chil- 
dren. Although  in  this  respect,  they  would  seem  to 
resemble  the  Indians  in  custom;  but  from  the  fact 
that  the  men  give  their  energies  and  time  to  the 


246 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


field  products,  they  would  seem  to  be  a medium  be- 
tween the  aborigines  and  anglo-saxon  element.  They 
reminded  me  in  this  respect  very  much  of  the  German. 
The  gardens  do  better  with  some  little  irrigation,  and 
the  women  and  children  do  this  by  carrying  water  in 
vessels  resembling  the  Mexican  olla,  placed  on  their 
heads.  The  ollas  are  of  all  sizes,  and  hold  anywhere 
from  one  quart  to  t'en  gallons.  The  wells  are  of  an 
original  plan.  They  have  no  windlass  or  a means  of 
a “drop.”  The  ground  is  first  dug  until  water  is 
reached.  An  incline  is  then  dug  down  to  the  bottom 
of  the  well,  from  a point  sufficiently  distant  from  the 
mouth  of  the  well,  to  give  it  an  angle  for  easy  walking, 
digging  out  all  the  earth,  and  leaving  a complete  road- 
way to  the  bottom  of  the  well  or  spring  at  the  lower 
end  of  the  hill.  One  of  these  wells  I saw,  measured 
forty  feet  deep  and  twelve  square  and  had  an  incline 
approach  of  one  hundred  feet.  It  is  an  odd  and  pleas- 
ing sight  to  watch  these  “ Rebeccas”  trotting  down  to 
the  well  with  their  vessels  on  their  head,  and  from 
their  neat  appearance  and  docile  manners  one  has  a 
profound  respect  and  an  exalted  opinion  of  Indian  life, 
after  having  come  from  the  land  of  the  greasy  “ Dig- 
ger” or  the  rapacious  Apachd  In  their  gardens  one 
will  scarcely  find  a weed. 

In  the  morning  the  men  may  be  seen  going  in  files 
to  their  fields — that  is,  provided  you  “ turn  out  ” at  five 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


247 


in  tlie  morning.  The  division  of  work  and  rest  for  the 
day  is  very  similar  to  the  most  semi-tropical  countries. 
They  go  to  the  fields  at  early  dawn,  return  to  break- 
fast at  ten  o’clock  (having  taken  a small  morsel  of 
something  before  going  out,  the  same  as  they  do  in 
the  West  Indies).  They  do  no  work  again  until  about 
three  in  the  afternoon,  avoiding  the  broiling  sun,  then 
they  return  to  the  field  at  that  time  and  work  until 
sun-down. 

The  country  being  a pastoral  one  to  a very  large  ex- 
tent, much  stock  is  raised.  The  principal  of  which  is 
sheep.  On  one  occasion  in  1872,  one  of  the  Caziques 
made  his  daughter  a present  of  three  thousand  head  of 
sheep. 

Goats,  cattle,  horses,  mules,  burros,  (a  species  of  the 
jackass)  hogs,  chickens  etc.,  form  no  small  part  of  their 
possessions.  These  people  are  very  domestic.  The 
men  do  not  gamble  nor  become  as  a rule,  intoxicated; 
a condition  that  has  become  almost  identical  with  the 
most  of  American  Indians. 

The  chastity  of  the  women  is  proverbial,  and  the 
morality  of  the  men  is  beyond  reproach.  In  the 
Zuni  villages,  women  are  as  fair  as  alabaster,  and  as 
pure  as  virgin  marble.  Even  to  this  very  day  it  can- 
not but  be  gleaned,  by  an  association  with  them,  that 
any  one  who  would  tamper  with  their  sacred  virtue 
would  meet  with  the  fate  of  the  famous  guide,  Ester- 


248 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


van,  who  suffered  death  for  having  secretly  made  love 
to  their  women. 

Their  pastimes* consist  in  music  and  dancing,  and 
games,  the  chief  of  which  is  that  known  among  them 
as  paleto.  It  is  curious  to  see  them  exert  themselves 
at  this  game.  It  is  the  national  game.  One  might 
sit  for  some  time  and  watch  them,  and  then  have  a 
longing  to  join  them  in  their  skip,  hop  and  a jump. 
It  is  performed  after  this  fashion  : — 

A line  of  men  and  boys  are  formed,  in  their  bare 
feet.  Any  number  may  join  in  the  game.  The  head 
one  takes  a stick  (the  Paleto)  between  his  big  and 
second  toe.  With  this  he  starts  off,  giving  two  hops 
and  a jump,  at  each  jump,  allowing  his  right  foot  to 
touch  the  ground,  giving  him  a powerful  spring.  All 
the  rest  are  now  following  close  behind.  Their  course  is 
round  a common  circle.  If  the  paleto  man  drops  his 
stick,  the  next,  without  stopping,  picks  it  up  with  his 
toes,  placing  it  in  the  same  position  as  the  other  be- 
tween his  big  toe  and  the  next.  If  he  misses,  he  drops 
out  of  the  line  while  the  next  Indian  behind  tries  his 
luck.  If  he  picks  it  up  lie  continues  on  until  he 
drops  it  and  then  he  drops  behind  to  the  rear,  as  the 
one  who  previously  had  done.  And  so  they  keep  up, 
he  only  dropping  out  of  the  line  who  fails  to  pick  up 
the  stick  when  the  leader  has  dropped  it.  Thus  it 
keeps  up  until  all  but  one  has  failed  to  pick  up  the 


INTERIOR  OF  AN  ORA1L1  HOUSE  IN  THE  MOQUI  VILLAGES. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


251 


paleto  when  dropped,  and  he  is  claimed,  the  victor. 
This  is  witnessed  by  a large  gathering  of  the  women, 
who,  clap  or  shout  at  any  great  alacrity  of  the  per- 
formers, and  the  last  one  is  hailed  as  a sort  of  King 
o’  the  day ; has  a wreath  placed  upon  his  head,  and  is 
the  recipient  of  honors,  and  of  presents  occasionally. 

This  game  is  performed  on  a larger  scale  on  fetes  or 
holidays,  and  is  a source  of  great  merriment.  Many 
a maiden  will  watch  her  lover  with  the  most  selfish 
anxiety  for  his  success,  and  many  such  lovers  will 
“ lose  the  paleto ” from  the  simple  fact  that  the  maiden 
is  watching  him.  On  fete  days  these  games  or  per- 
formances generally  end  in  grand  processions.  They 
have  many  fdte  days  in  which  many  historical  events 
are  commemorated.  On  the  evenings  of  these  days  a 
sort  of  religious  feast  or  entertainment  is  usually  held. 
It  is  performed  with  great  pomp  and  reverence.  A 
performance  which  was  enacted  with  grand  ceremony 
attracted  our  attention.  Some  animal,  usually  a 
quadruped  of  some  kind,  this  time  a rabbit,  was  placed 
on  the  ground  with  his  head  toward  the  east.  In  its 
fore-paws,  which  are  stretched  out  before  him,  is 
placed  an  ear  of  corn.  Before  this,  the  spirit  man 
takes  his  position  with  a bowl  of  meal  and  with  lan- 
guage and  gestures  the  stranger  does  not  understand’ 
consecrates  this  meal.  This  being  done,  the  animal 
and  the  ear  of  corn  are  sprinkled  thoroughly  with  it, 


252 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


and  a solemn  exercise  of  prayer  and  consecration  is 
gone  through  with.  After  this  the  animal  is  allowed 
to  remain  one  day,  and  then  taken  up  and  eaten  as  a 
consecrated  feast  of  thanksgiving  lor  an  abundant  har- 
vest. On  these  occasions  no  Mexican  is  allowed  to 
enter  their  domain  and  see  their  processions. 

The  men  and  women  alike,  pet,  idolize — fairly 
“ worship”  their  children.  Their  abodes  are  superior 
— in  fact,  cannot  be  compared  with  what  we  under- 
stand as  Indian  huts.  In  style  and  material  they  re- 
semble Mexican  buildings  except  their  houses  are 
built  as  we  have  described,  en  masse , communial — 
one  and  each  supporting  the  other.  The  principal 
room  where  the  members  of  the  tribes  receive  friendly 
visitors,  are  on  an  average  nine  feet  high,  with  seats 
running  around  the  structure  generally  covered  with 
some  unshorn  skin  of  an  animal  such  as  a goat,  sheep, 
wild  cat,  etc.,  making  it  preferable  to  a hard  board  for 
the  sitter.  The  floors  are  of  stone,  and  the  rooms  are 
as  a general  thing,  neatly  whitewashed ; which  is 
more  than  we  can  say  of  the  average  Mexican  resi- 
dences met  with  in  Arizona.  They  are  clean  and  neat 
always.  One  singular  thing  exists.  No  vermin  are 
to  be  found  in  the  whole  town;  neither  rats,  mice, 
roaches  nor  bed-bugs.  A species  of  head  lice  is  the 
only  thing  in  that  line,  that  ruffles  their  temper  or 
destroys  the  equilibrium  of  their  nerves.  They  are 


Wm 


THE  FREE  INDIAN  GIRLS:— AN-TI-NAINTS,  PU-LU-SU 
AND  WI-CHUTS. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


255 


keen  in  trade — never  getting  excited  or  in  a hurry, 
and  “ drive  a bargain  ” with  all  the  shrewdness  of  a 
Chatham  Streeter.  With  an  anglo-saxon  training, 
these  people,  I should  judge,  would  become  one  of  the 
greatest  policy  people  in  the  world.  The  spirit  is 
innate  in  them  ; for,  until  the  break  of  friendship  be- 
tween you  and  them  is  made  flagrant,  no  outward 
manifestation  is  made  of  any  slight  antipathy  that  may 
exist  between  j'ou  upon  slight  provocations,  that  could 
be  detected  by  an  outside  observer.  The  same  hospi- 
tality, provided  you  are  admitted  within  their  limits 
at  all,  is  extended  to  all : another  evidence  where  the 
brain  power  has  control  of,  and  keeps  the  sentiments 
and  impetuosities  at  bay.  Let  your  visit  be  at  any 
hour  of  the  day  or  night  they  welcome  you  with,  this 
spirit.  If  in  the  night  even,  the  same  invitation  for 
you  to  partake  of  refreshments,  or  to  drink  some  of 
their  beverages,  is  extended. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


THE  MOQUI  AND  ZUNI  CONTINUED— THEIR  DRESS— MANUFAC- 
TURES—GOVERNMENT— THE  SEVEN  CITIES  OF  CIBOLA— THE 
THE  ARK  AGAIN— A PRESENT  FROM  PRESIDENT  LINCOLN— 
THAT  PERSISTENT  MISSION— MAJOR  POWELL’S  DESCRIPTION. 

THE  dress  is  of  a cotton  tunic,  with  a loose  girdle, 
extending  to  the  knees.  In  cold  weather  a blan- 
ket, made  more  generally  by  the  Moqui  tribes,  is 
worn.  Some  of  these  blankets  ai c of  the  richest  de- 
signs, and  will  last  a life  time.  They  are  mottled  with 
all  colors  and  devices,  and  resemble,  and  would  make 
very  fashionable  and  serviceable  lap  robes  as  used  in 
American  metropolitan  life.  Some  travelers  have  been 
known  to  pay  as  high  as  one  hundred  dollars  for  one 
of  these  blankets,  and  it  is  estimated  that  to  some  <»f 
them  a whole  life  time  has  been  devoted.  Col.  R.  J. 
Hinton  has  one  of  these  blankets  or  shawls  for  which  I 
think  he  said  he  paid  forty  dollars,  but  for  which  he 
would  not  take  one  hundred  dollars  cash.  It  puzzled 
the  whole  partj'  to  decide  how  the  different  colors 
were  blended.  The  thread  seemed  to  be  a tightly 


:ED  HOUSES  OF  ORAIB1. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


259 


twisted  or  “ water-twisted  ” one,  of  fine  wool — a thread 
which  among  our  modern  manufacturers,  is  considered 
of  the  greatest  durability.  Remembeiing  the  primi- 
tive modes  possessed  by  the  Indians,  it  is  a marvel 
how  they  can  produce  such  perfection.  The  women 
wear  an  outer  garment  falling  from  the  neck  to  the 
ankle,  girded  at  the  waist,  with  tassels  hanging  from 
the  girdle  to  the  feet.  Woolen  leggins  and  high  moc- 
casins of  different  designs  ornament  their  feet.  The 
arms  of  the  women  are  generally  allowed  to  go  bare, 
(except  in  such  cooler  days  or  parts  of  the  year  when 
they  wear  the  wrapper  or  blanket  spoken  of  above) 
exhibiting  an  arm  and  hand  that  many  a so-called 
belle  would  be  proud  of,  except  that  the  hand  will 
show'  the  effects  of  a little  closer  intercourse  with  the 
material  things  of  the  world — dish-cloths  and  slop- 
pails — for  instance.  When  they  conceal  ihose  arms 
under  the  wrapper,  however,  it  seems  to  be  with  as 
much  grace  as  the  best  of  ’em.  Their  hair  is  black 
and  thick  like  the  ordinary  Indian,  but  they  w^ear  it 
with  more  taste,  and  something  after  the  fashion  of  the 
Chinese  women. 

Their  government  is  more  after  the  civilized  code 
than  Indian.  It  consists  of  a governor;  and  what 
might  correspond  to  our  Lieut.  Governor.  An  Alcalde 
(or  Mayor).  Three  Tenientes  (or  Police  commissioners) 


260 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


who  arc  responsible  for  the  good  behavior  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  twelve  Caziques  (or  councilmen). 

The  head  Cazique  serves  during  life,  and  is  called  the 
Wakamano.  The  Governor  also  serves  for  life. 
The  others  are  all  elected 'yearly.  The  war  chief 
during  peace  conducts  the  different  kinds  of  hunts. 

All  orders — for  the  government  and  control  of 
the  tribes  are  given  by  the  Governor  in  person  from 
the  top  of  the  central  house  to  his  Caziques,  and  the 
orders  are  then  distributed  in  the  different  locations 
or  different  sections  of  the  grand  house  by  them. 
They  walk  over  the  different  places  crying  at  the  top 
of  their  voices,  the  order  as  given  by  the  Governor — 
the  story  of  the  town  cryers  of  old  resuscitated. 

In  times  of  threatened  raids  from  the  Apaches  or 
Navajoes,  or  impending  dangers  of  war,  they  will  not 
only  congregate  en  masse  in,  and  around  their  aerial 
city,  but  will  drive  up  all  their  stock  on  the  mesa,  and 
once  there  they  can  bid  defiance  to  an  armed  foe  much 
greater  in  numbers  than  their  own.  It  is  supposed 
that  these  are  the  seven  cities  of  Cibola  which  Coronado, 
with  an  armed  force  of  Spaniards  went,  in  1540,  from 
Mexico  to  conquer.  It  will  be  remembered  how  the  in- 
habitants, although  with  primitive  utensils  of  war,  and 
with  vastly  inferior  numbers,  conquered  the  Spaniards. 
This  was  done  by  rolling  huge  boulders  from  the 
height,  hurling  missiles,  arrows  etc.,  at  and  down  upon 


PRAYING  FOR  RAIN— A RELIGIOUS  OBSERVANCE  OF  TIIE  MOQUIS. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


263 


their  foes,  as  they  would  endeavor  to  ascend  the  mesa. 

“ These  people  too,  have  their  tradition  of  the  flood. 
They  say  they  have  lived  in  these  mountains  and 
among  these  valleys  ever  since  the  world  was  de- 
stroyed by  a great  flood.  Their  ancestors  got  into  a 
floating  log  which  happened  to  be  floating  along. 
This  log  in  the  course  of  due  time,  and  as  the  waters 
‘‘soaked  into  the  earth,”  landed  on  a high  peak  of  the 
San  Francisco  Mountains.  Shortly  after  their  num- 
bers increased  rapidly,  and  the  Apaches  attacked  them, 
killing  the  most  of  their  tribe,  and  the  remainder  jour- 
neyed north  to  where  they  now  live.  Since  this  time, 
with  their  natural  fortresses  of  defence,  to  be  found  in 
the  mesa,  together  with  their  watchfulness,  they  have 
defended  themselves  against  all  odds.  The  old  Gover- 
nor— Governor  Pino  by  name,  can  l)e  often  seen  walk- 
ing through  his  little  city  with  the  air  and  spirit  of  a 
truly  modest  guardian.  On  special  or  state  occasions, 
the  Governor  carries  a gold-headed  cane  which  was 
given  him  by  President  Lincoln. 

“In  the  centre  of  the  town  stand  the  remains  of  the 
old  Catholic  mission.  It  has  not  been  used  for  wor- 
ship for  over  one  hundred  years.  How  old  the  mis- 
sion is,  I am  not  possessed  of  sufficient  facts  to  say. 
Some  records  date  back  as  far  as  1732, — some  older 
records  being  obliterated.  Two  old  bells  which  re- 
main still  in  the  belfry  are  stamped  1689  and  1751. 


264 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


From  some  cause  the  priests  of  the  cl  lurch  were  ban- 
ished from  the  place  by  the  Zunis  about  one  hundred 
years  ago  and  have  not  been  permitted  to  return  since. 

W e give  a few  additional  interesting  extracts  from 
Major  J.  W.  Powell’s  letters  to  Scribner's  Magazine,  in 
relation  to  this  people : 

“ By  day  the  men  hunted  and  the  women  gathered 
berries  and  the  other  rich  fruits  that  grow  in  that  coun- 
try, and  at  night  they  danced.  A little  after  dark  a 
fire  was  kindled,  and  the  musicians  took  their  places. 
They  had  two  kinds  of  instruments.  One  was  a large 
basket  tray,  covered  with  pitch  inside  and  out,  so  as  to 
be  quite  hard  and  resonant;  this  was  placed  over  a pit 
in  the  ground,  and  they  beat  on  it  with  sticks.  The 
other  was  a primitive  fiddle,  made  of  a cedar  stick,  as 
large  round  as  my  wrist  and  about  three  feet  long ; 
this  was  cut  with  notches  about  three  inches  apart 
They  placed  one  end  on  a tray  arranged  like  the  one 
just  described,  placed  the  other  end  against  the  stom- 
ach, and  played  upon  the  fiddle  with  a pine-stick  bow, 
which  was  dragged  up  and  down  across  the  notches, 
making  a rattling,  shrieking  sound.  So  they  beat  their 
loud  drum  and  sawed  their  hoarse  fiddle  for  a time, 
until  the  young  men  and  maidens  gathered  about  and 
joined  in  a song : 

‘ Ki-ap-pa  tu-gu-wun, 

Pi-vi-an  na  kai-va.’ 

(Friends,  let  the  play  commence;  all  sing  together.) 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


265 


Gradually  they  formed  a.  circle,  and  the  dance  com- 
menced. Around  they  went,  old  men  and  women, 
young  men  and  maidens,  little  boys  and  girls,  all  in 
one  great  circle,  around  and  around,  all  singing,  all 
keeping  time  with  their  feet,  pat,  pat,  pat,  in  the  dust 
and  sand ; low,  hoarse  voices ; high,  broken,  scream- 
ing voices;  mellow,  tender  voices;  but  louder  than 
all,  the  thump  and  screech  of  the  orchestra. 

“ One  set  done  another  was  formed;  this  time  the 
women  dancing  in  the  inner  circle,  the  men  without. 
Then  they  formed  in  rows,  and  danced,  back  and 
forth  in  lines,  the  men  in  one  direction,  the  women  in 
another.  Then  they  formed  again,  the  men  standing 
expectant  without,  the  women  dancing  demurely 
within,  quite  independent  of  one  another,  until  one 
maiden  beckoned  to  a lover,  and  he,  with  a loud, 
shrill  whoop,  joined  her  in  the  sport.  The  ice  broken, 
each  woman  called  her  partner,  and  so  they  danced 
by  twos  and  twos,  in  and  out,  here  and  there,  with 
steadily  increasing  time,  until  one  after  another,  broke 
down  and  but  three  couples  were  left.  These  danced 
on,  on,  on,  until  they  seemed  to  be  wild  with  uncon- 
trollable motion.  At  last  one  of  the  couples  failed, 
and  the  remaining  two  pattered  away,  while  the  whole 
tribe  stood  by  shouting,  yelling,  laughing,  and  scream- 
ing, until  another  couple  broke  down,  and  the  cham- 
pions only  remained.  Then  all  the  people  rushed 


266 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZOXA. 


forward,  and  the  winning  couple  were  carried  and 
pushed  by  the  crowd  to  the  fire.  The  old  chief  came 
up,  and  on  the  young  man's  head  placed  a crown  of 
eagle’s  feathers.  A circlet  of  braided  porcupine  quills 
was  placed  about  the  head  of  the  maiden,  and  into 
this  circlet  were  inserted  plumes  made  of  the  crest  of 
the  quail  and  the  bright  feathers  of  the  humming  bird. 
I have  said  that  the  ceremony  was  in  honor  of  Mu-ing- 
wa,  the  god  of  rain.  It  was  a general  thanksgiving 
for  an  abundant  harvest,  and  a prayer  for  rain  during 
the  coming  season.  Against  one  end  of  the  kiva  was 
placed  a series  of  picture  writings  on  wooden  tablets. 
Carved  wooden  birds  on  little  wooden  pedestals,  and 
many  pitchers  and  vases,  were  placed  about  the  room. 
In  the  niches  were  kept  the  collection  of  sacred  jewels, 
little  crystals  of  quartz,  crystals  of  calcite,  garnets,  beau- 
tiful pieces  of  jasper,  and  other  bright  or  fantastically 
shaped  stones,  which,  it  was  claimed,  they  had  kept 
for  many  generations.  Corn,  meal,  flour,  and  white  and 
black  sand  were  used  in  the  ceremony  at  different 
times.  There  were  many  sprinklings  of  water,  which 
had  been  previously  consecrated  by  ceremony  and 
prayer.  Often  the  sand  or  meal  were  scattered  about. 
Occasionally  during  the  twenty-four  hours  a chorus  of 
women  singers  were  brought  into  the  kiva,  and  the 
general  ceremony  was  varied  by  dancing  and  singing. 
The  dancing  was  performed  by  single  persons  or  by 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


•'67 


couples,  or  by  a wliole  bevv  of  women,  but  the  singing 
was  always  in  chorus,  except  a kind  of  chant  from 
time  to  time,  by  the  elder  of  the  priests.  My  knowl- 
edge of  the  language  was  slight,  and  I was  able  to 
comprehend  but  little  of  what  was  said  ; but  I think  I 
obtained,  by  questioning  and  close  observation,  and 
gathering  a few  words  here  and  there,  some  general 
idea  of  what  they  were  doing.  About  every  two  hours 
there  was  a pause  in  the  ceremony,  when  refreshments 
were  brought  in,  and  twenty  minutes  or  half  an  hour 
was  given  to  general  conversation  ; and  I always  took 
advantage  of  such  a time  to  have  the  immediately 
preceding  ceremony  explained  tome  as  far  as  possible. 
During  one  of  these  resting  times  I took  pains  to  make 
a little  diagram  of  the  position  which  had  been  as- 
sumed by  the  different  parties  engaged,  and  to  note 
down,  as  far  as  possible,  the  various  performances, 
which  I will  endeavor  to  explain  . 

“ A little  to  one  side  of  the  fire  (which  was  in  the  mid 
die  of  the  chamber)  and  near  the  sacred  paintings,  the 
four  priests  took  their  positions  in  the  angles  of  a 
somewhat  regular  quadrilateral.  Then  the  virgin 
placed  a large  vase  in  the  middle  of  a space,  then  she 
brought  a pitcher  of  water,  and,  with  a prayer,  the  old 
man  poured  a quantity  into  a vase.  The  same  was 
done  in  turn  by  the  other  priests.  Then  the  maiden 
brought  on  a little  tray  or  -salver,  a box  or  pottery 


268 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


case,  containing  the  sacred  jewels,  and,  after  a prayer, 
the  old  man  placed  some  of  these  jewels  in  the  water, 
and  the  same  ceremony  was  performed  by  each  of  the 
other  priests.  Whatever  was  done  by  the  old  priest 
was  also  done  by  the  others  in  succession.  Then  the 
maiden  brought  kernels  of  corn  on  a tray,  and  these 
were  in  like  manner  placed  on  the  water.  She  then 
placed  a little  brush  near  each  of  the  priests.  These 
brushes  were  made  of  the  feathers  of  the  beautiful 
warblers  and  humming-birds  found  in  that  region. 
Then  she  placed  a tray  of  meal  near  each  of  the  priests 
and  a tray  of  white  sand,  and  a tray  of  red  sand,  and 
a tray  of  black  sand.  She  then  look  from  the  niche 
in  the  wall  a little  stone  vessel,  in  which  had  been 
ground  some  dried  leaves,  and  placed  it  in  the  centre 
of  the  space  between  the  men.  Then  on  a little  wil- 
low-ware tray,  woven  of  many  colored  straws,  she 
brought  four  pipes  of  the  ancient  pattern — hollow 
cones,  in  the  apex  of  which  were  inserted  the  stems. 
Each  of  the  priests  filled  his  pipe  with  the  ground 
leaves  from  the  stone  vessel.  The  maiden  lighted  a 
small,  fantastically  painted  stick  and  gave  it  to  the 
priest,  who  lighted  his  pipe  and  smoked  it  with  great 
vigor,  swallowing  the  smoke,  until  it  appeared  that  his 
stomach  and  mouth  were  distended.  Then,  kneeling 
over  the  vase,  he  poured  the  smoke  from  his  mouth 
into  it,  until  it  was  filled,  and  the  smoke  piled  over 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


269 


and  gradually  rose  above  him,  forming  a cloud.  Then 
the  old  man,  taking  one  of  the  little  feather  brushes, 
dipped  it  into  the  vase  of  water  and  sprinkled  the 
floor  of  the  kiva,  and,  standing  up,  clasped  his  hands, 
turned  his  face  upward,  and  prayed.  ‘Mu-ing-wa! 
very  good ; thou  dost  love  us,  for  thou  didst  bring  ns 
up  from  the  lower  world.  Thou  didst  teach  our  fa- 
thers, and  their  wisdom  has  descended  to  us.  We 
eat  no  stolen  bread.  No  stolen  sheep  are  found  in 
our  flocks.  Our  young  men  ride  not  the  stolen  assf 
We  beseech  thee,  Mu-ing-wa,  that  thou  wouldst  dip 
thy  brush,  made  of  the  feathers  of  the  birds  of  heaven, 
into  the  lakes  of  the  skies,  and  scatter  water  over  the 
earth,  even  as  I scatter  water  over  the  floor  of  the 
kiva  ; Mu-ing-wa,  very  good.’ 

“ Then  the  white  sand  was  scattered  over  the  floor, 
and  the  old  man  prayed  that  during  the  coming  sea- 
son Mu-ing-wa  would  break  the  ice  in  the  lakes  of 
heaven,  and  grind  it  into  ice  dust  (snow),  and  scatter 
it  over  the  land,  so  that  during  the  coming  winter  the 
ground  might  be  prepared  for  the  planting  of  another 
crop.  Then,  after  another  ceremony  with  kernels  of 
corn,  he  prayed  that  the  corn  might  be  impregnated 
with  the  life  of  the  water,  and  made  to  bring  forth  an 
abundant  harvest.  After  a ceremony  with  the  jewels, 
he  prayed  that  the  corn  might  ripen,  and  that  each 
kernel  might  be  as  hard  as  one  of  the  jewels.  Then 


270 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


this  part  of  the  ceremony  ceased.  The  vases  and  the 
pitchers,  and  jewels,  and  other  paraphernalia  of  the 
ceremony  were  placed  away  in  the  niche  by  the 
mother.  At  day-break  on  the  second  morning,  when 
the  ceremonies  had  ceased,  twenty-five  or  thirty  mai- 
dens came  down  into  the  kiva,  disrobed  themselves, 
and  were  reclothed  in  gala  dress,  variously  decorated 
with  feathers  and  bells,  each  assisting  the  other.  Then 
their  faces  were  painted  by  the  men  in  thiswise:  a 
man  would  take  some  paint  in  his  mouth,  thoroughly 
mix  it  with  saliva,  and  with  his  finger  paint  the  girl’s 
face  with  one  color,  in  such  a manner  as  seemed  right 
to  him,  and  she  was  then  turned  over  to  another  man 
who  had  another  color  prepared.  In  this  way  their 
faces  were  painted  yellow,  red  and  blue.  When  all 
was  ready,  a line  was  formed  in  the  kiva,  at  the  head 
of  which  was  the  grandmother,  and  at  the  foot  the 
virgin  priestess,  who  had  attended  through  the  entire 
ceremony.  As  soon  as  the  line  was  formed  below, 
the  men,  with  myself,  having  in  the  meantime  re- 
clothed ourselves,  went  up  into  the  court  and  were 
stationed  on  the  top  of  the  house  nearest  the  entrance 
to  the  kiva.  We  found  all  the  people  of  the  village, 
and  what  seemed  to  me  all  the  people  of  the  surround- 
ing villages,  assembled  on  top  of  the  houses — men, 
women  and  children,  all  standing  expectant. 

“ As  the  procession  emerged  from  the  kiva  by  the 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


271 


ladder;  the  old  woman  commenced  to  chant.  Slowly 
the  procession  marched  about  the  court  and  around 
two  or  three  times,  and  then  to  the  centre,  where  the 
maidens  formed  a circle,  the  young  virgin  priestess 
standing  in  the  centre.  She  held  in  her  hand  a beau- 
tifully wrought  willow-work  tray,  and  all  the  young 
men  stood  on  the  brink  of  the  wall  next  to  the  plaza? 
as  if  awaiting  a signal.  Then  the  maiden,  with  eyes 
bandaged,  turning  round  and  round,  chanting  some- 
thing which  I could  not  understand,  until  she  should 
be  thoroughly  confused  as  to  the  direction  in  which 
the  young  men  stood.  Then  she  threw  out  of  the 
circle  in  which  she  stood  the  tray  which  she  held,  and 
at  that  instant,  every  young  athlete  sprang  from  the 
wall  and  rushed  toward  the  ti  ay^,  and  entered  into  the 
general  conflict  to  see  who  should  obtain  it.  No 
blows  were  given,  but  they  caught  each  other  about 
the  waist  and  around  the  neck,  tumbling  and  rolling 
about  into  the  court  until,  at  last,  one  got  the  tray  into 
his  possession  for  an  instant,  threw  it  aloft  and  was 
declared  the  winner.  With  great  pride  he  carried  it 
away.  Then  the  women  returned  to  the  kiva.  In  a 
few  minutes  afterward  they  emerged  again,  another 
woman  carrying  a tray,  and  so  the  contests  were  kept 
up  until  each  maiden  had  thrown  a tray  into  the 
court-yard,  and  it  had  been  won  by  some  of  the  ath- 
letes. About  ten  o’clock  these  contests  ended,  and 


272 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


the  people  retired  to  their  homes,  each  family  in  the 
village  inviting  its  friends  from  the  surrounding  vil- 
lages, and  for  an  hour  there  was  feasting  and  revelry. 
During  the  afternoon  there  were  races,  and  afterward 
dancing,  which  was  continued  until  midnight.” 


A SCOUT  OF  THE  NAVAJO  INDIANS  IN  NORTH-EASTERN  ARIZONA, 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


THE  ANTIQUITY  OF  THESE  INDIANS— ARIZONA’S  VICISSITUDES— 
CONQUERED  AT  LAST— AMERICA’S  DARK  AGES— A COSTLY 
BONFIRE— PRESCOTT  — HUMBOLDT  — BANCROFT  — TO  THE 
LAND  OF  ANCIENT  LORE  BY  RAIL  ! 

IT  is  a well-known  fact  that  the  antiquity  of  these 
people  is  one  of  the  many  subjects  connected  with 
Arizona  that  is  ; and  has  been  ever  since  the  time  of 
the  Spanish  conquest,  taxing  the  investigation  of  man. 
As  Governor  Safford  once  said  : “ There  is  probably 
no  portion  of  our  domain  where  such  a variety  of 
Indians  live,  speaking  so  many  different  dialects,  as  in 
Arizona.”  And  we  might  add  of  so  many  different 
customs  and  natural  characteristics.  In  regard  to  the 
Zunis  and  Moquis  it  is  now  asked,  “Are  they  Aztec, 
Toltec,  or  what?”  The  nearest  we  have  got  to  it  yet 
is  that  they  are  “ whatever  ” they  may  be.  They 
may  be  the  descendants  of  the  remnants  of  some  par- 
ticular tribe,  or  the  remnants  of  a shore  of  tribes 
that  suffered  the  incursions  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury, consequent  upon  the  invasion  and  conquest  by 
Cortez.  What  a revolution  was  there  ! What  a turn- 


276 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


ing  upside  down  of  institutions  of  a civilized,  culti- 
vated and  refined  people,  who  are  now  forgotten  and 
almost  obliterated  by  the  lapse  of  time.  A people, 
perhaps,  scientific  in  the  extreme,  and  whose  institu- 
tions in  many  respects  equalled,  if  not  excelled,  some 
of  those  of  our  own  civilization.  With  the  opening 
up  of  Arizona,  the  reward  to  us  may  be  commensu- 
rate with  our  difficulty  and  delay  of  getting  a practi- 
cal admission  to  her.  More  obstacles,  and  perhaps 
oftener,  have  been  thrown  in  the  way  to  retard  the 
opening  up  of  Arizona  than  perhaps  any  other  por- 
tion of  our  country.  In  addition  to  the  most  formid- 
able and  desperate  tribes  of  Indians  that  ever  com- 
bated the  approach  of  civilization,,  the  position  of 
Arizona,  subjects  us  to  the  incursions  of  the  treacher- 
ous Mexican  banditti,  who  are  as  ready  and  willing  to 
profit  by  any  misfortune  or  weakness  of  his  neighbor 
as  the  most  ruthless  Indian.  Its  position  too,  sub- 
jected it  to  a great  drawback  in  1861  and  ’63  by  our 
civil  war;  and  at  a time  when  she  was  again  budding 
with  success. 

Some  men,  like  communities  are  often  found  in 
their  egotism,  congratulating  themselves  on  the  ad- 
vance— the  progression  they  are  making,  having  an 
infallible  belief  that  progression,  is  a magnate  taking 
no  back  tracks,  and  meeting  with  no  diversions  ; that 
we  never  lose,  but  always  gain.  That  we  did  not  lose 


A NAVAJO  INDIAN  BOY. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


277 


anything  in  the  destruction  of  the  Alexandrian  library, 
or  that  if  we  did  it  was  chaff  compared  to  what  we 
gained  immediately  after,  or  by  the  very  destruc- 
tion itself.  Or  that  by  the  dark  ages,  although  admit, 
ting  they  we^’e  irksome  and  disagreeable  in  themselves- 
nothing  was  lost.  Others  there  are  who  claim  to  see  a 
complete  revolution  in  all  things ; who  claim  a com- 
prehensive distinction  between  progress  and  change ; 
who  rather  glory  in  finding  that  which  was  lost,  claim- 
ing nothing  new  under  the  sun,  and  who  concede  that 
the  dark  ages  are  the  great  Machiavels  of  time  who 
cunningly  and  stealthily  crowd  themselves  in  to  baffle 
the  philosopher  in  his  course,  and  who  simply  cover 
tip — hide,  things  for  a limited  period,  for  our  employ- 
ment and  amusement  in  finding  again. 

From  1520  to  1530,  then  was  the  “ dark  age  ” of  the 
North  American  Continent.  Enough  was  covered  up 
during  those  ten  years  to  take  all  the  science,  work, 
and  philosophy  of  centuries  to  unearth.  This  we 
know.  But  we  do  not  know  but  that  there  is  much 
that  will  never  be  discovered,  nor  even  dreamed  of. 
The  most  of  these  belong  or  are  connected,  in  some 
way  with  the  people  of  whom  we  have  barely  made 
mention,  and  of  whom  if  volumes  were  written,  which 
has  already  been  done,  one  could  scarcely  do  more. 
To  what  extent  these  facts  exist  may  be  made  clearer 


278 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


by  reference  to  the  historian,  Prescott.  Prescott  says  : 
Book  VI,  Chap.  8 : 

“ Yet  the  Aztecs  must  have  been  in  possession  of  a 
much  larger  treasure,  if  it  were  only  the  wreck  of  that 
recovered  from  the  Spaniards  on  the  night  of  the  mem- 
orable flight  from  Mexico.  Some  of  the  spoils  may 
have  been  sent  away  from  the  capital;  some  spent  in 
preparations  for  defence,  and  more  of  it  buried  in  the 
earth,  or  sunk  in  the  waters  of  the  lake.  Their  menaces 
were  not  without  meaning.  They  had,  at  least,  the 
satisfaction  of  disappointing  the  avarice  of  their  ene- 
mies. 

“ Cortez  had  no  further  occasion  for  the  presence  of 
his  Indian  allies.  ****** 
They  carried  off  a liberal  share  of  the  spoils,  of 
which  they  had  plundered  the  dwellings — not  of  a 
kind  to  excite  the  cupidity  of  the  Spaniards — and 
returned  in  triumph,  (short-sighted  triumph  !)  at  the 
success  of  their  expedition,  and  the  downfall  of  the 
Aztec  dynasty.” 

The  memorable  night  alluded  to  above  was  that 
which  is  the  present  patron  saint  day  of  Mexico, — the 
day  of  St.  Hypolito — and  was  selected  and  handed 
down  as  such  from  the  circumstances  connected  with 
it 

Prescott  also  says,  in  speaking  of  the  great  quanti- 
ties of  the  fine  arts  that  is  known  to  have  existed 


PIC’Tl  RKSQUE  ARIZONA. 


279 


among  the  Aztecs  at  the  time  of  the  Spanish  con- 
quest : — “ The  first  archbishop  of  Mexico  collected  these 
paintings  from  every  quarter,  especially  from  Tez- 
euco,  the  most  cultivated  capital  in  Anahuac,  and  the 
great  depository  of  the  national  archives.  He  then 
caused  them  to  be  piled  up  in  a ‘mountain  heap,’  as  it 
is  called  by  the  Spanish  writers  themselves,  in  the  mar- 
ket place  of  Tiateloco,  and  reduced  them  all  to  ashes.” 
Humboldt  said  : — “ The  Mexicans  (Aztecs)  were  in 
possession  of  annals  that  went  back  to  eight  and  a half 
centuries  beyond  the  epoch  of  the  arrival  of  Cortez 
in  the  country  of  Anahuac.” 

Bancroft  tells  us  also,  that  the  Aztecs  retained  many 
traditions  and  systems  of  the  Toltecs  “ whose  written 
annals  they  also  preserved.”  He  also  says  that  at  the 
time  of  the  arrival  of  the  Spaniards,  there  were  great 
quantities  of  manuscript  treasured  up  in  the  country. 

A recent  correspondence  to  the  Philadelphia  Weekly 
Press , says: — “At  the  time  of  the  conquest  of  Mexico, 
Cortez  found  in  Mexico  a people  millions  in  number, 
according  to  his  account,  enjoying  a high  order  of  civ- 
ilization. Their  government  was  a confederated  em- 
pire of  many  states,  a rather  highly  organized  system^ 
implying  large  political  knowledge  and  practical  states- 
manship. Their  religion  was  one  of  peace  and  love, 
if  their  temples  filled  with  flowers  and  birds  and 
fountains,  and  their  daily  life  and  conversation  and 


280 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


the  many  virtues  transmitted  to  their  descendants  to- 
day— if  these  works  are  any  evidence  of  their  faith. 
They  had  wealth  of  gold  and  silver,  and  artistic  work- 
ers in  their  precious  metals.  They  had  fine  houses 
and  great  public  works,  temples,  aqueducts,  roadways. 
They  had  a calendar  measuring  the  solar  year  more 
accurately  than  ours,  and  requiring  readjustment  not 
every  four  years,  but  only  once  in  half  a century. 
They  had  full  records  of  their  own  civilization  and 
history,  but  they  were  richer  yet  in  the  possession  of 
ample  and  authentic  records  of  the  races  before  them.” 

All  these  annals  and  paintings  met  the  same  fate. 
All  things  in  short  connected  with  this  people  that  fire 
would  destroy,  was  obliterated  from  the  face  of  the 
earth.  It  eclipsed  the  decline  and  fall  of  the  Koman 
empire,  and  the  worst  features  of  history  repeated 
themselves  in  the  new  world. 

Science  has  heretofore  been  confined  to  the  ancient 
recesses  of  the  old  world.  But  only  a short  space  of 
time  will  elapse  when  the  steam  car  alone  will  lead  us 
to  a new  field  of  labor  in  this  channel ; curiosity  and 
pleasure  will  follow  closely  in  the  wake  of  ambition’s 
stronger  impulse ; and  Arizona,  New  Mexico,  and  our 
southwest  generally  will  resound  with  notes  of  the 
choicest  ancient  lore.  The  tide  of  pre-historic  study, 
will  be  suddenly  transferred  to  our  very  doors,  and  the 
flash  of  our  ignited  torch  cast  a lurid  glare  on  even  a 
prc- Adamite  existence. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 


THE  GREAT  CASA  GRANDE— IMPRESSIONS— A PALACE,  CASTLE 
OR  WHAT  ? — A BILLOWY  SEA  OF  GREEN— THE  PUZZLE  OF 
PUZZLES. 

LTHOUGH  in  the  mines  and  in  their  mining  lies 


the  chief  value  and  support  of  Arizona,  if  not  of 
the  nation  so  to  speak,  the  pre-historic  land-marks 
that  exist  on  every  hand  in  our  southwest — and  not 
only  these,  but  the  actual  existence  of  the  pre  historic 
people  (in  their  descendants)  that  yet  remain  in  a 
goodly  number,  constantly  attract  an  additional  class 
of  people,  in  our  scientists,  archeologists,  travelers  and 
tourists. 

In  the  east  as  well  as  the  west — in  the  south  as 
well  as  the  north,  many  evidences  of  these  have  been 
already  discovered.  Major  Powell,  in  his  recent  ex- 
plorations on  the  upper  Colorado  River,  reports  ruins 
along  its  banks  and  on  its  Plateaus  ; and  Gov.  A.  P 
K.  Safford  tells  of  some  in  the  nearer  northwest. 

A little  to  the  southeast  of  the  Pimo  Indians,  about 
ten  miles  off  lies  the  ruins  of  the  great  Casa  Grande  of 
Arizona.  It  would  seem  modesty  and  good  taste  in 


282 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


me  to  refrain  from  an  extended  description  and  refer- 
ence to  these  ruins,  except  so  far  as  to  give  a general 
idea  of  their  appearance,  and  to  complete  the  import- 
ant features  of  the  Territory  ; and  then  to  say  to  the 
reader,  there  they  are.  Indeed  in  this,  have  we  told  all 
we  know.  Since  the  year  1694  when  Father  Kino 
from  Mexico  gave  the  first  account  of  them  every  wri- 
ter or  narrator  has  drawn  largely  upon  his  imagination 
and  still  harder  upon  his  knowledge,  to  throw  some 
light  upon  these  somewhat  ancient  structures.  But 
we  know  nothing.  The  whole  is  mere  conjecture. 

After  having  driven  a distance  of  ten  miles  southeast 
of  the  Pimo  villages  (or  the  same  distance  southwest 
from  Florence),  the  traveler  strikes  upon  a vast  open 
land,  slightly  undulating,  aud  backed  or  encircled  by 
picturesque  mountains.  The  land  here  for  miles  is 
just  diversified  enough  with  growths  of  different  kinds, 
as  well  as  by  the  peculiar  contour  of  the  land  to  make 
the  perspective  pleasing ; the  undulation  in  some  cases 
amounting  to  small  hills.  If  an  observant  traveler, 
you  will  notice  in  passing  over  some  of  the  undula- 
tions, that  they  are  oblong,  and  are  remains  of  an 
acequia  or  aqueduct.  This  conflicts  a little  with  the 
sentiment  under  which  you  have  been  traveling,  and 
flattering  yourself  that  you  or  your  people  were  the 
first  civilized  or  intelligent  beings  that  ever  trod  this 
soil;  you  are  amazed  when  by  mathematical  demonstra 


EUINS  OF  THE  GREAT  CASA  GRANDE  IN  SOUTHERN  ARIZONA. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


285 


tions,  you  find  the  grading  and  building  of  these  ace - 
quias  to  be  based  upon  practical  principles  equal  to 
any  our  present  science  is  able  to  conceive.  You  are 
now  ascending  a gentle  grade,  and  a few  rods  bring 
you  face  to  face  upon  a high  ruin  of — you  don’t  know 
what ; but  suppose  from  its  shape,  an  ancient  house, 
supplemented  on  all  sides  by  smaller  ruins,  of  perhaps 
smaller  houses,  or  of  sections  of  the  main  house. 
Then  all  your  energies  of  imagination  and  conjecture 
are  strained,  and  the  interest  in  the  surroundings  has 
increased.  The  spirit  that  often  looms  up  in  mute  ob- 
jects, holds  you  fast  and  talks  to  you  of  things  you 
know  not  of,  and  yet  tells  you  not  of  them.  All  that 
interest,  enhanced  by  mystery,  wells  up  in  you,  and  you 
are  riveted  to  the  spot.  You  are  standing  on  an  ele- 
vated plateau  from  which  you  look  out  upon  a very 
gentle  decline,  rolling  in  its  nature,  and  covered  with 
thousands  of  known  and  unknown  plants  and  shrubs. 
Over  this  billowy  green  your  eye  is  carried  to  the 
mountain  outlines,  and  beyond.  Beyond  the  moun- 
tains even,  in  the  translucent  atmosphere,  your  eye 
seems  to  wander,  and  if  the  weather  is  especiallv  clear, 
or  the  time  of  day  late,  the  halo,  of  which  we  have 
spoken  in  connection  with  other  mountains,  will  lend 
a beautiful  back-ground  to  an  already  grand  perspec- 
tive. The  scene  is  a beautiful  one,  and  the  outlook 
commanding.  You  are  standing  now  close  by,  or 


286 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


leaning  against  the  walls  of  the  great  Casa  Grande. 
You  turn  and  look  upon  them.  You  step  back  and 
lift  your  head  to  comprehend  the  whole  structure  more 
at  a glance.  The  structure,  or  rather  the  main  ruin, 
as  it  remains  now  is  about  sixty  feet  high  on  an  aver- 
age,  bjr  about  forty  by  fifty  in  area.  We  notice  apper- 
tures  on  the  ground  level  which  we  suppose  to  have 
been  door  places,  and  above  we  see  the  square  open- 
ings for  windows.  As  we  do  so  and  comprehend 
these  as  an  outlook,  we  turn  about  again  and  behold 
the  grand  stretch  of  country  around  on  all  sides,  for 
many,  many  leagues.  Allowing  our  imagination  to 
supply  the  extra  distance  from  the  ground,  or  actually 
climbing  up  with  some  difficulty  into  the  breaks,  we 
take  a second  survey  of  the  land  we  would  crave  to 
call  our  own.  As  we  do  so  we  are  compelled,  con- 
trary to  our  egotism,  to  admit  that  at  least,  beings  with 
some  art  and  poetry  in  their  souls,  whether  they  be 
born  of  God  or  of  the  devil  (as  an  early  explorer  sug- 
gested) had  selected  this  spot  for  their  castle.  The  ex- 
tent of  the  smaller  ruins  around,  also,  and  the  remains 
of  an  acequia  or  aqueduct  running  around  the 
grounds  for  nine  miles,  suggests  the  existence,  at  some 
previous  day,  of  a potent  city  ; and  from  the  strength 
and  duration  of  their  walls,  a well  made  one.  We 
descend  again  from  within  these  dumb  and  tantalizing 
walls.  They  will  not  speak  to  us.  We  have  to  shake 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


289 


hands  with  ourselves  for  what  we  know.  The  Indians 
have  a tradition  that  these  ruins  existed  five  hundred 
years  ago.  Down  and  outside,  we  turn  and  look  again 
at  the  remnant  of  centuries. 

You  have  by  this  time  been  worked  up  to  a pitch 
of  the  highest  interest.  Who  were  these  people? 
you  ask.  Where  did  they  come  from?  and  what  was 
their  end  ? And,  like  all  before  you,  you  have  to 
answer  them  for  yourself.  No  one  can  tell  you.  His- 
tory has  beaten  itself.  Now  comes  the  Arizona  prob- 
lem again!  Were  they  Aztecs?  or,  were  they  Tol- 
tecs?  Did  they  live  in  the  inglorious  age  of  the  Span- 
ish conquerors,  and  were  they  crushed  and  annihilated 
by  them?  or  were  they  of  the  earlier  Toltec  age,  and 
swept  off  the  face  of  the  earth  by  the  more  warlike  and 
ferocious  Aztecs  from  the  north  in  the  thirteenth  and 
fourteenth  centuries?  You  try  to  throw  some  light 
upon  your  ignorance  by  the  character  of  the  neighbor 
ing  country  and  its  human  life.  Now  you  are  puzzled. 
To  the  south,  you.  trace  the  native  Mexican  Indian,  a 
personification  of  laziness,  and  intermixed  with  the 
inglorious  elements  that  perhaps  was  the  destroyers 
of  the  very  light  you  crave;  producing  a race  whose 
energies  would  scarcely  build  a single  wall,  much  less 
a palace.  To  the  north  you  have  the  Pirnos,  and 
Papagos ; docile,  industrious  and  affectionate  in 
peace ; brave  and  fearless  when  at  war,  yet  slow  to 


*290 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


a"ger  and  merciful.  To  the  east,  a- little  way  off,  the 
murderous  Apache  looms  up  with  all  the  horror  of 
murder  and  death.  A little  further  to  the  north  again 
are  the  Moqui  and  Zuni  people,  as  much  different  from 
the  former  as  the  soul  from  the  flesh  * whose  habits  of 
life  and  industry,  are  proverbial  for  integrity  and  pros- 
perity ; who  embody  all  the  finer  sentiments  of  a truly 
cultivated  soul,  whose  love  for  one  another  is  only 
equalled  by  their  bravery  and  nobleness.  In  all  these 
I say,  we  see  such  a vast  diversity  of  the  human  race, 
we  ask  to  which  can  we  ascribe  the  descendency  of 
people  who  once  inhabited  these  ruined  structures.  W ere 
they  so  scattered  by  some  crushing  power  that  each 
fragment  has  become  an  isolated  portion,  in  a frame- 
work that  has  created  a separate  and  distinct  race? 
Were  they  the  Toltecs  crushed  by  the  Aztecs?  or, 
were  they  Aztec  crushed  by  the  ignoble — the  inglori- 
ous Spanish  crusaders  of  the  sixteenth  century? 
Were  they  objects  born  of  the  devil  against  whom  the 
Christian  was  in  duty  bound  to  carry  on  the  work  of 
extermination  ? If  so,  nobly  did  that  Christian  do  his 
work ! 

These  interesting,  and  perhaps  valuable  relics  to  the 
unearthing  of  some  lost  or  pre-historic  knowledge,  are 
fast  going  to  decay.  Even  the  little  knowledge  we 
have  of  them,  should  with  a possibility,  compared  to 
a greater,  warrant  the  government  in  protecting  and 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


291 


preserving  them.  It  is  estimated  that  upwards  of  one 
hundred  thousand  people  inhabited  the  Gila  valley  in 
A rizona  at  one  time. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


FLORENCE  — ITS  UNIQUENESS  — ANXIETY  FOR  COL.  GRAHAM- 
FALSE  ALARM— MODERN  RUINS— THE  OLD  MISSION  BUILD- 
INGS—SAN  XAVIER  DEL  BAC. 


UR  party  was  in  good  spirits  when  we  left  the 


Pimo  villages;  and  our  reflections  of  the  experi- 
ence with  the  interesting  people  and  their  dwellings 
often  recurred  to  our  minds.  The  recollection  of  their 
many  quaint  narratives  concerning  their  relation  with 
the  whites,  and  of  their  peculiar  life,  has  often  enter- 
tained me  in  solitude  since.  A half  day’s  travel  from 
the  Pimo  villages  brings  you  to  the  quaint  old  town 
of  Florence.  I say  ‘‘quaint”  and  “old ’’town.  You 
can  hardly  say  old  or  new.  It  is  a little  of  both  ; and 
the  two  extremes  are  more  forcibly  met  with  here 
than  perhaps  anywhere  in  the  Territory,  except,  per- 
haps at  Tucson,  which  town  is  beginning,  under  the 
American  ambition,  to  aspire  to  something  more  than 
one  story  adobes.  But  the  very  combination  of  these 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


293 


extremes  makes  it  quaint.  Here  you  will  find  the 
primitive  Mexican  or  half  breed  Indian  adob6  hut; 
the  log  cabin ; the  Anglo-Saxon  American  cottage 
among  a cluster  of  cotton-wood  or  willow ; and  the 
aborigines’  tepis.  The  slight  elevation  of  this  place 
with  its  cooler  bracing  atmosphere  over  that  of  the 
hotter  valleys  of  the  Gila  or  Colorado,  is  a promising 
feature  for  its  growth.  It  also  has  a beautiful  valley 
bottom  contiguous  to  it,  which  will  at  no  distant  day 
open  up  a fine  farming  country.  The  elevation  is 
about  five  hundred  feet.  The  pattern  of  the  city  re- 
sembles very  much,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah ; having  its 
streets  cheerfully  cooled  by  running  streams  of  living 
water,  brought  down  from  the  Gila  by  artificial  means, 
and  having  these  streams  edged  with  a growth  of 
cotton-wood  or  willow. 

W e had  not  to  drive  far  from  the  Pimo  villages  to  the 
next  hacienda  or  station.  Here  we  learned  for  the 
first  time  on  this  tour,  of  one  of  those  entertainments 
common  on  highways  and  especially  on  our  frontier — 
a stage  robbery.  Like  all  traveling  parties  over  our 
new  West,  our  own  had  passed  many  a moment  in  con- 
versation on  this  subject  while  winding  our  way  over 
mountain,  plain  and  mesa.  We  had  decided  just  what 
we  would  all  do  in  case  of  an  attack.  One  of  us 
would  grab  the  fellow  by  the  hair;  (if  there  happened 
to  be  two,  we  bind  the  other  one — or  choke  him) ; 


294 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


and  if  more,  we  would  shoot  the  whole  lot  of  them — 
with  compassion  of  course,  but  as  a matter  of  self-de- 
fense and  protection.  There  were  two  of  our  party, 
however,  not  participants  in  the  conversation,  and 
they  enjoyed  hugely,  the  good  will  and  determina- 
tion of  our  friends  to  rid  the  desert  of  its  unpleasant 
visitors ; but  as  well  did  we  enjoy  the  credulity  of 
these  self-same  deliverers.  The  whole  secret  was,  we 
two  had  “ been  there  before ; ” and  knew  that  in  case 
of  an  attack,  their  good  intentions  would  fail  as  com- 
pletely as  had  their  bravery  given  impulse  to  their 
threats.  The  stage  from  Tucson  that  morning,  had 
been  robbed.  Col.  Graham  had  left  our  party  on  that 
morning  and  gone  ahead  to  Tucson  just  before  we 
learned  of  the  affair,  to  make  additional  arrangements 
for  our  further  travels  into  the  southeast.  We  felt  a 
little  anxiety  on  his  account  He  was  naturally,  in 
lieu  of  his  mission,  laden  with  more  or  less  of  just 
such  “ trash  ” as  would  have  been  acceptable  to  these 
“road  agents.”  Had  I myself  been  aware  of  the  ex- 
perience with  these  agents  that  lay  in  store  for  me  on 
my  subsequent  return — my  interest  in  the  affair  could 
not  but  have  been  vastly  greater.  Subsequent  knowl- 
edge, however,  relieved  our  anxieties,  and  the  prepa- 
rations we  found  at  Tucson,  on  our  arrival  there,  for 
our  further  progress,  was  sufficient  evidence  that  not 
hide  nor  hair,  nor  the  pocket,  of  our  fore-runner  had 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


295 


been  disturbed.  It  was  the  incoming  stage  that  had 
suffered. 

Directly  south,  about  seven ty-five  miles,  lies  the 
now  ambitious  town  of  Tucson,  the  metropolis  of  the 
State,  and  at  one  time  the  capital.  In  visiting  Tuc- 
son, one  has  virtually  visited  the  phlegmatic  Mexican 
condition  of  life,  as  completely  as  though  he  had  been 
to  Mexico,  or  to  some  hamlet  of  suburban  Spain. 
The  American  traveler  spends  just  time  enough  here 
to  find  out  how  many  of  his  own  countrymen  have 
found  a home  within  its  limits,  and  congratulates  them 
upon  their  hopes  of  meetingtheir  reward  in  the  future. 
Perhaps  he  will  stay  long  enough  to  get  drunk;  to 
see  a cock-fight,  or  go  to  a bailie — a Spanish-Mexican 
ball.  To  the  south  of  Tucson,  nine  miles,  lies  the  old 
Mission  of  San  Xavier  Del  Bac,  in  a remarkably  good 
state  of  preservation.  The  missions  of  our  southwest, 
many  of  which  are  now  in  ruins,  constitute  a feature 
of  attraction.  They  might  be  known  as  the  modern 
ruins , as  distinguished  from  ancient  ruins  applied  to 
the  evidences  of  unknown  structures  everywhere  to  be 
found  over  the  lands  of  southern  California,  Arizona 
and  New  Mexico.  Although  being  in  a good  state  of 
preservation,  and  yet  being  opened  to  service  for  a 
half  civilized,  remnant  of  a mixture  of  the  Mexico- 
lndian  blood,  it  is  virtually  a ruin.  It  is,  however, 
the  best  preserved  in  the  Territory.  It  was  founded 


296 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


in  1690;  but  the  present  edifice  was  erected  about  the 
yenr  1785,  as  near  as  I have  been  able  to  determine 
by  data.  This  would  make  the  establishment  of  the 
mission  nearly  two  centuries  old.  A description  of 
these  buildings,  with  their  dimensions,  etc.,  although 
elaborate,  bold,  and  conspicuous  in  themselves,  might 
lack  interest,  resembling,  as  they  do,  any  grand  and 
gorgeous  Catholic  church  in  our  thickly  populated 
cities.  But  contrast  makes  both  interest  and  beauty. 
Associations  make  in  fact,  the  thing  itself  Take 
away  the  associations  of  a thing,  or  the  condition  in 
which,  or  upon  which,  the  thing  exists,  and  you  have 
changed  it  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  to  something 
else.  To  ride  miles  and  miles  then,  across  a level 
country,  seeing  nothing  but  what  you  might  conceive 
consisted  in  just  the  bare  platform  of  earth  placed 
there  by  the  hand  of  nature  for  subsequent  use,  to  see 
as  if  by  magic,  one  of  these  structures,  equal  in  all  its 
metropolitan  adornments,  planted  where  it  would  seem 
there  was  no  fruit  to  nourish,  strikes  you  curiously. 

All  over  this  land  you  come  in  contact  with  these 
modern  ruins  of  the  religious  zeal  and  fervor  of  the 
Jesuit  Father  of  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  cen- 
tury; and  in  noticing  the  few  and  beggarly  squads  of 
a people  who  are  neither  Mexican,  Indian  or  what  is 
commonly  known  as  an  American,  you  see  the  tenac- 
ity with  which  religious  fanaticism  holds  fast  to  itself 


THE  MISSION  OF  SAN  XaVIEB  DEL  BAC,  LOCATED  NINE  MILES  SOUTH  OF  TUCS 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


299 


Approaching  one  of  these  edifices,  a person  ignorant 
of  their  presence,  would  give  vent  to  surprise  and  awe. 
The  deserts  over  which  he  has  been  riding  has  given 
no  sound,  nor  shown  the  work  of  any  hand,  and  you 
have  seen,  in  nature’s  almost  nothing , the  greatest 
something.  In  your  long  travels  and  your  long  ab- 
sence from  home  and  civilization,  new  and  original 
thoughts  have  crowded  upon  you.  You  have  thought 
as  you  never  had  thought  before,  and  dreamed  of 
things  you  never  saw.  Why  should  you  not?  the 
mental,  like  the  mortal  man,  is  on  new  soil;  and  is 
the  mind  not  a plant?  Does  it  not  grow?  Aye!  and 
what  a sad  growth  is  this  growth  of  the  mind  ; for  if 
it  grows  athwart,  and  yet,  for  what,  nor  how,  the  com- 
mon growth  knows  not,  ’tis  hewn  down,  to  rot,  but 
really  manures — enriches  the  soil  for  subsequent  better 
growth.  In  this  is  its  glory.  On ! On  ! you  go  over 
the  vast  stretch  of  country  before  you,  unmindful  of 
hidden  merits  and  virtues.  Your  mind  has  become 
dreamy.  You  have  come  within  the  pale  of  some 
gently  rising  slope  unnoticed.  You  have  skirted  its 
gentle  slope  unawares,  when,  turning  suddenly  some 
abrupt  side,  one  of  these  missions — bold  in  contrast; 
asserting  in  spirit,  and  gorgeous  in  display,  stops  you 
short.  Peace  and  quiet  are  its  only  companions.  You 
go  ’round  it,  and  are  anxious  to  confront  it  more 
boldly,  and  urge  to  get  on  the  side  which  designates 


300 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


its  front.  You  are  weary  for  some  communal  spirit. 
You  would  talk  with  it.  But  when  in  front,  you  find 
the  doors  closed,  and  often  barred  with  the  bolt  of 
time  and  decay.  But  presently,  while  standing  mute 
and  writing  your  own  brief  history  on  the  pages  of 
your  thought,  one  of  the  doors  quietly,  stealthily 
opens,  and  a solitary  Peone  or  half  breed  Indian  emer- 
ges from  the  place  in  all  the  solemnity  of  a person 
celebrating  mass.  Perhaps  he  has  just  finished  this, 
or  some  as  solemn  a rite.  The  door  is  softly  closed 
behind  him.  All  is  yet  the  embodiment  of  a perfect 
quiet.  In  the  soft  spongy  earth,  not  even  the  tread  of 
the  worshipper  is  heard.  Perhaps  in  the  tower  or  some 
secluse  corner  of  the  building,  there  is  a remaining 
bell  which  you  had  failed  to  find  out.  One ! Two ! 
Three!  its  peal  breaks  suddenly  upon  you  as  if  moved 
by  spirit  hands.  In  the  penetrating  stillness,  you  had 
heard  a sound.  It  re  echoed  the  plains  and  deserts 
wide  ; and  in  its  familiar  notes  formed  a connecting 
link  between  you  and  your  home.  Nothing  could 
stop  you  from  walking  around  and  gazing  for  awhile 
upon  that  bell. 

Each  toll  was  a wail  for  broken  power — each  knell  a 
cry  for  sympathy.  Presently  the  door  re-opened  and 
there  emerged  from  within  a modest  retiring  priest 
with  downcast  head,  nor  looking  to  the  right  nor  to 
the  left,  but  keeping  the  “straight  and  narrow  path” 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


301 


to  the  hut  of  some  benighted  inhabitant  of 
I shall  never  forget  an  experience  of  this 
visit  several  years  ago,  to  the  old  mission 
Capistran. 


the  plain 
kind  in  a 
San  Juan 


CHAPTER  XX. 


THE  KNELL  OF  PARTING  POWER— THE  TOLLING  OF  A CONTRITE 
BELL — ALONE  WITH  THE  SPIRITS  OF  CENTURIES— TUBAC — 
THE  MISSION  RUINS  OF  SAINT  JOSEPH— TUMACACORI— THE 
SANTA  CRUZ  VALLEY. 

UCSON  is  the  northern  limit  to  these  old  missions 


in  the  Territory  of  Arizona;  but  to  the  west,  in 
California,  they  may  be  found  as  far  north  as  San 
Francisco,  where  the  mission  Dolores  is  located. 

One  does  not  have  to  go  far  from  the  mission  San 
Xavier  Del  Bac,  before  he  comes  upon  another  of 
these  modern  ruins.  South,  a few  miles  from  Tubac, 
is  located  the  old  mission  ruins  of  the  Saint  Joseph 
Mission  of  Tumacacori.  Many  matters  of  interest  are 
connected  with  this  mission.  The  interests  in  all  are 
very  diversified.  Some  will  tell  of  frightful  obstacles 
at  the  time  of  the  establishing  of  them,  and  others  will 
tell  of  a series  of  constant  tribulation.  The  history  of 
them  as  far  as  the  church  is  concerned,  is  but  compar- 
atively little  known  except  by  that  church.  The 


OLD  MISSION  RUINS  OF  TUMACACOBI. 


riCTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


303 


church  of  Tumacacori  is  in  total  ruins,  it  haying  been 
effectually  destroyed,  by  the  Apachd  Indians  some 
years  ago.  The  ruins  stand  about  three  miles  back 
from  the  town  of  Tubac,  in  the  valley  of  the  Santa 
Cruz:  and  the  history  of  this  mision  can  perhaps  only 
be  equalled  by  the  interesting  facts  that  exist  concern- 
ing every  section  and  every  object  in  the  whole  valley. 
These  missions,  or  the  place  of  their  location  has 
always  been  selected  with  some  special  interest  in 
point  of  rich  mineral  or  agricultural  lands — perhaps 
for  the  better  pecuniary  support  of  the  cause.  This 
is  particularly  the  case  with  this  region  of  the  Santa 
Cruz.  This  valley  and  its  surroundings  have  been 
dwelt  upon  for  both  its  richness  and  beauty,  by  all 
writers  ; and  perhaps  none  the  less  for  the  diversity  of 
its  changes  and  hardships,  than  for  its  riches.  Per- 
haps the  very  richness  was  the  cause.  It  is  this  re- 
gion that  the  story  is  told  of  the  Padrd  and  the  salt- 
cellar, in  exemplification  of  the  vast  silver  deposits  in 
the  mountains  about.  The  Padre  had  received  a fel- 
low Padre  on  a visit.  Everything  had  been  gotten 
that  it  was  thought  would  please  and  show  respect. 
At  dinner  one  thing  was  missing,  however,  that  at- 
tracted the  guest’s  notice.  This  was  a salt  cellar.  lie 
made  known  his  grievance  to  the  host.  The  host  being 
much  mortified,  apologized  for  not  having  one  in  his 
possession.  Stopping  to  think  for  a moment,  he  fin- 


304 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


ally  said  he  would  have  one  in  a very  few  moments. 
He  immediately  despatched  one  of  his  subjects  to  the 
mountains  near  at  hand  to  procure  some  silver  ore. 
The  man  returned  in  less  than  half  an  hour  with  a 
quantity  of  ore  from  which  a solid  silver  salt-cellar 
was  moulded,  and  the  fastidity  of  the  sacred  guest  sat- 
isfied. It  is  well  known  that  years  ago,  there  was, 
within  a radius  of  sixteen  miles,  one  hundred  and  fifty 
silver  mines.  Broken  remnants  of  the  furnaces,  cru- 
cibles, etc.  etc.,  used  in  smelting,  may  yet  be  seen  in 
and  about  the  ruins. 

The  valley  of  the  Santa  Cruz  cannot  be  over-esti- 
mated for  its  beauty  and  fertility ; and  when  condi- 
tions become  at  all  stable  in  this  country,  it  will  rap- 
idly assume  to  one  of  the  Eldoracloes  of  the  Territory. 
As  varied  in  its  beauty,  and  rich  in  both  ils  agricul- 
ture and  mineral  resources,  so  has  equally  been  its  re- 
versions; and  as  rapidly  almost  as  pen  could  tell  them. 
Cozzens,  in  his  “ Marvelous  Country,”  says  it  was  a 
“very  attractive  place,  with  its  peach  orchards,  and  its 
pomegranates.”  This  was  in  1860.  No  sooner  had  he 
these  words  out  of  his  mouth,  than  our  civil  war  put 
an  end  to  enterprise  here ; turned  progress  and  ambi- 
tion into  scenes  of  strife  and  bloodshed ; and  con- 
verted a thriving  and  promising  present  into  a dark 
and  abject  future.  Prof.  Pumpelly  describes  Tubac  as 
a “restored  ruins  of  an  old  village.”  Tubac  to-day  is 


A STREET  SCENE  OF  ADOBE  SPANISH  RESIDENCES. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


307 


a mass  of  adobe  ruins ; but  with  the  development  of 
the  mines  in  and  about  the  region,  which  is  promised 
by  the  Toltec  Syndicate  of  mines,  of  San  Francisco, 
we  may  look  for  a rapid  transition. 


CHAPTER  XXL 


LEAVING  TUBAC— THE  NINEVEH  OF  AMERICA— SILVER-LINED  AND 
VERDURE-CLAD— THE  DAWN  OF  ARIZONA— BOLD  MOUNTAIN 
SCENERY— THE  SANTA  RITAS — THEIR  MINES. 

T day  break  we  were  anxious  for  a start  witli  a 


double  interest  in  view;  we  were  to  visit  the 


Santa  Ritas  ; and  we  were  to  stop  on  our  way  and  see 
the  old  ruins  of  the  ancient  mission  church  at  Tumac- 
acori  about  three  miles  from  the  town  of  Tubac.  Tt 
was  a brilliant  morning,  the  rarity  and  clearness  of  the 
atmosphere  drawing  the  mountains  almost  up  to  our 
very  threshold.  Some  few  of  the  Spanish-Indian- 
Mexican  element  were  out  basking  in  the  morning 
sun.  We  have  remarked  before,  what  a diversity  of 
interests  and  combinations  and  characters  Arizona  af- 
fords. In  this  place  one  is  forcibly  reminded  of  trav- 
eling among  the  ancient  countries  of  the  east  With 
its  handful  of  deserted  and  ruined  mud  houses,  one 
and  two  stories  high,  with  evidences  of  an  attempt  afc 
some  previous  day,  to  arches,  pillars,  columns,  etc., 
one  is  reminded  of  a Nineveh  or  a Babylon.  These 


TICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


309 


old  ruins  seem  now  to  have  no  ambition  but  to  crum- 
ble away  and  become  things  of  the  past.  One  build- 
ing I noticed,  larger  and  better  preserved  than  the  rest, 
had  a cupola.  This  was  the  old  presidio,  or  fort. 
The  place  is  not  wholly  deserted,  a few  of  the  bouses 
being  inhabited  by  the  phlegmatic  Mexican  greaser 
waiting  for  “ something  to  turn  up.”  The  principal 
object  of  ambition  and  life  consisted  of  a flock  of  goats 
owned  by  the  man  who  kept  the  overland  stage  hotel. 
(The  reader  must  be  well  acquainted  with  this 
class  of  building  in  Arizona  by  this  time.)  The 
goats,  having  a predilection  for  high  elevations,  will 
often  occupy  the  top  of  the  ruined  walls,  which 
gives  the  whole  a quaint  appearance  to  the  newcomer, 
who  views  this  scene  for  the  first  time. 

Looking  in  the  direction  of  the  Santa  Ritas  we  real- 
ized we  were  approaching  a section  of  country  more 
diversified  and  picturesque.  As  we  neared  the  foot- 
hills and  crossed  ravines  and  gulches,  we  mounted 
plateaus  stretching  for  miles  away,  and  abounding  in 
prolific  growth,  choking  themselves  with  each  other 
for  the  very  ground’s  sake,  on  which  they  thrived. 
Here  we  would  cross  an  extended  mesa,  and  there 
gradually  wend  our  way  up  some  gentle  hill-side,  lead- 
ing up  to  the  base  of  the  ruder  mountain.  Here,  we 
will  ford  some  gentle  running  stream  and  finally  find  our 
way  into  the  gorges  and  defiles  of  the  mountains — 


310 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


mountains  silver-lined  and  verdure-clad.  The  land 
included  in  our  trip  from  Tubac  and  into  the  heart  of 
the  Santa  Ritas  reminded  us  of  frontier  trips  in  fair 
California  of  old,  when  the  camp  and  the  log  hut 
were  the  fashion  ; but  with  California  as  an  incentive, 
and  the  immigration  from  the  east,  which  is  already 
vastly  on  the  increase,  Arizona  will  not  exist  so  long 
in  embryo  as  did  her  neighbor  State,  California.  In 
addition  to  her  mineral  wealth,  the  grazing  lands  of 
Arizona  will  attract  remarkable  attention  henceforth. 
Arizona  is  full  of  a system  of  small  clusters  of  moun- 
tains seperate  and  distinct  in  themselves,  thus  giving 
throughout,  a vast  area  of  foot-hills  and  elevated  pla- 
teaus favorable  for  sheep  and  goats.  At  no  distant 
day  the  whole  eastern  Arizona — the  San  Francisco 
Mountains,  the  White  Mountains  in  the  northeast,  and 
the  Santa  Ritas  and  Cero  Colorado  in  the  southeast 
will  be  a marvel  of  shepherds  and  their  flocks. 

Approaching  the  Santa  Ritas  the  effect  is  a pleasing 
and  cheerful  one.  It  relieves  the  barrenness  of,  and 
forms  a very  consoling  contrast  to  the  sandy  mesas 
you  have  traversed  in  the  forepart  of  your  journey. 
Leaving  the  Santa  Cruz  valley,  you  pass  a pretty  un- 
dulating prairie  land,  and  to  the  head  of  3^011,  you  have 
a second  view  of  the  picturesque  and  fertile  San  Ga- 
briel valle}r  in  the  Southern  part  of  California.  So 
well  is  this  valley  reproduced  in  the  approach  to  the 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


311 


Santa  Eitas  that  you  almost  fancy  it  is  trying  to  rival 
its  neighbor  State.  You  look  in  vain  for  the  exten- 
sive wheat  fields  and  orchards  of  a Baldwin,  or  the 
rural  and  sanitary  hotel  and  lovely  grounds  of  a Cogs- 
well. And  it  would  not  take  half  the  nerve  and  judg- 
ment of  either  of  these  worthy  Californians  to  grasp 
the  opportunity  to  utilize  these  mountain  lands  to  the 
same  extent. 

Amid  the  breezes  wafted  over  this  charming  lea 
from  the  canyons  of  the  Santa  Eitas  is  destroyed  the 
recollections  of  the  heat  of  the  desert  and  puts  in  one 
the  vim  of  a miner  and  prospector.  With  the  unlimi- 
ted product  of  grasses,  the  pleasing  and  interesting 
specimens  of  the  cacti  of  this  capricious  land,  yielding 
everything,  and  the  narcotic  and  invigorating  air 
which  was  constantly  wafted  into  our  nostrils  as 
though  it  was  a solid  substance  rather  than  a gas; 
and  lastly  with  the  silver  tongued  Santa  Eitas  looming 
out  before  us,  summoning  us  to  share  her  opulence,  is 
it  any  wonder  that  our  spirits  were  allured  to  build 
air  castles,  or  our  nerves  and  muscles  strengthened  for 
the  most  arduous  toil  ? 

To  the  front  old  Picacho  del  Diablo,  rolls  boldly  out 
upon  the  plain,  capped  by  its  commanding  peak,  one 
of  the  two  great  peaks  of  the  Santa  Eitas,  the  highest 
south  of  the  Gila  Eiver.  In  and  around  the  rugged  sur- 
face and  crevices,  of  her  barren  walls,  we  knew,  was  a fa- 


312 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


vor'ite  defence  and  fortress  of  die  murderous  Apache. 
From  behind  these  natural  breast-works,  many  an  inno- 
cent prospector  and  sturdy  pioneer  has  been  popped  off 
his  buro  or  horse,  and  the  animal  taken  to  add 
strength  to  these  mountain  devils,  for  further  raids. 

Just  before  reaching  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
Santa  Ritas  a peculiar  formation  of  rock  in  a deep 
gulch  or  ravine  attracted  the  interest  of  all  our  party. 
Large,  oval  and  columnar  shaped  rocks  protruded  from 
the  banks,  and  others  stood  upright  in  the  centre  like 
sentinels.  They  were  of  lime  and  sandstone  formation  ; 
but  in  shape  resembled  some  of  the  rock  formations 
of  the  upper  Colorado  Canyons,  or  of  the  immense 
columnar  basaltic  rocks  on  the  Columbia  River,  in 
Oregon.  The  ones  in  the  centre  reminded  us  of  mum- 
mies capped  with  a prodigious  flat  broad  crusty  forma- 
tion, as  if  they  had  got  their  custom  from  the  huge  sun- 
brimmed  hats  of  the  Jesuit  Fathers  that  came  up  into 
this  country  in  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centu- 
ries; or  from  the  sombrero  of  the  more  modern  Mexi- 
can. Sentinel-like,  these  interesting  objects  guard  one 
of  the  approaches  to  the  Santa  Eitas. 

Over  knoll  and  meadow,  gulch  and  plain,  invigora- 
ted by  a dry  atmosphere  and  brilliant  sun,  as  alluring 
as  one  ever  had  in  crossing  over  the  Sierras  on  the 
Central  Pacific  Railroad,  we  traveled  on,  cheered  by 
the  knowledge  that  in  two  hours  more  ride,  we  would 


SAND  STONE  FORMATIONS  FOUND  IN  THE  RAVINES 
MOUNTAINS. 


OF  THE  SANTA  IlITA 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


313 


be  at  the  works  of  the  Aztec  Company’s  mines, 
where  we  were  to  be  led  into  all  the  interesting  and 
wonderful  modus  operandi  of  opening  up  rich  mining 
districts. 

To  the  members  of  the  company  themselves,  there 
was  one  all  absorbing  interest — the  very  one  that  had 
been  the  incentive  to  the  journey  itself.  Recent  crop- 
pings had  assayed  $343,86  to  the  ton  ; and  their  object 
was  to  arrange  for  putting  the  mines  under  active 
operations  at  once. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


THE  EL  PICACHOS— A LAND  OF  MASSACRES— COCHISE— A MOUN- 
TAIN CABIN — TALKING  MINES— A DREAM  OF  WATERFALLS, 
VALLEYS,  CANYONS  AND  CAVES. 

NE  hour  before  reaching  the  mines  of  the  Aztec 


Company,  however,  we  were  to  pass  the  ruins  of 
what  was  once  the  works  of  the  old  Tyndal  or  Santa 
Rita  Mining  Company.  The  stories  of  Indian  massa- 
cres and  depredations  connected  with  this  place,  sug- 
gested a halt.  To  the  one  side  of  us  reared  the  great 
El  Picacho  of  the  Santa  Ritas ; another  of  these 
“guiding  stars”  of  the  plains  spoken  of  elsewhere. 
To  the  other,  the  “ Teats”  adds  ruddiness  to  the  scene; 
and  the  brilliant  sky,  the  balmy  air,  and  the  sparkling 
sunlight,  made  us  think,  act,  enjoy — with  a corre- 
sponding vigor.  The  term  “El  Picacho”  meaning 
in  its  literal  translation,  the  “ point  of  rocks,”  one  is 
puzzled  when  he  has  the  “El  Picacho”  pointed  out 
to  him  in  a thousand  different  places  in  Arizona.  It 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


015 


would  be  more  comprehensive  to  say  a “point  of 
rocks”  or  signifying  in  some  way  that  it  was  the  Pica- 
cho  of  that  particular  location  only,  and  for  these  rea- 
sons : The  Picachos  of  Arizona,  as  intimated  by  our 
comparison  of  it  to  a “guiding  star, "are  numerous  and 
serve  to  guide  the  traveler  in  most  all  directions. 
They  exist  equally  throughout  the  land.  They  rise 
to  a great  height  above  all  neighboring  peaks,  and  can 
be  seen  for  a distance  of  from  one  hundred  to  two  hun- 
dred miles  distant.  The  one  spoken  of  in  the  Santa 
Ritas,  can  be  seen  from  a circuit  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  to  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  miles,  guiding 
the  traveler  thereby  in  the  direction  of  the  Santa  Ritas. 

We  all  dismounted  or  left  our  wagons  here  ; to  stand 
for  a few  moments  in  the  midst  of  ruins  which,  could 
they  have  talked  would  have  chilled  our  blood  and 
made  our  hair  stand  on  ends.  We  all  walked  around 
mute  for  a while,  and  as  we  would  lay  our  hands  on 
the  rude  adobe  walls,  or  stumble  over  some  loose 
fragment  of  stone,  a thrill  would  go  through  our 
bodies  something  like  that  experienced  by  us  when, 
in  our  school  days  we  used  to  read  the  tales  of  a Kit 
Carson,  or  Yelasquez;  and  later  of  the  adventures  of 
the  many  characters  who  have  become  identified  with 
Indian  massacres  and  their  depredations. 

One  of  these  ruined  adobe  buildings,  one  in  which 
the  walls  are  the  best  preserved,  is  pointed  out  to  us 


316 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


as  the  scene  of  a most  dastardly  and  cruel  attack  by 
the  Indians  a few  years  since.  The  Indians  had  been 
troublesome  for  some  time  but  with  great  dexterity 
and  watchfulness,  the  miners  of  the  camp  had  man- 
aged to  hold  their  own.  At  midnight  a body  of  the 
bloodthirsty  Apaches  under  their  powerful  leader, 
and  numbering  ninety  warriors  fell  upon  the  camp 
with  yells  and  shouts  and  whoops.  The  fight  was  a 
formidable  one,  for  the  Indians  attacked  against  odds  ; 
and  sweeping  down  in  a bloodthirsty  and  determined 
assault  surprised  the  whole  camp.  In  the  principal 
house — an  adobd  structure  of  three  separate  apart- 
ments on  the  ground  floor — seven  men  and  one  wo- 
man held  out  all  day  against  the  treacherous  red  men, 
and  finally  beat  them  off.  Being  a strong  mining 
camp,  and  the  region  being  one  of  untold  attraction 
for  miners,  the  whole  section  of  country  hereabouts 
can  tell  more  thrilling  tales  of  Indian  atrocities  than 
most  others.  Col  R J.  Hinton,  in  his  book  on  Ari- 
zona, in  describing  the  Santa  Bitas  and  its  mines,  says  : 
11  To  the  north  and  west  is  a bold  but  lesser  cone, 
which  it  is  proposed  to  call  Hopkins’  Peak,  in  honor 
of  Gilbert  Hopkins,  a famous  mining  engineer,  slain 
within  the  shadows  of  these  mountains  by  the  mur- 
derous Apachds.  To  the  east  and  south  of  Mount 
Wrightson  rises  another  and  smaller  peak,  which  has 
been  called  Grosvenor,  in  honor  of  another  bold  pio- 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


317 


neer,  who,  in  1861,  was  slain  near  ihe  old  hacienda  at 
Santa  Rita,  shortly  before  Mr.  Wrightson,  the  manager, 
of  the  Salero  Company  lost  his  life.”  J.  Ross  Browne’s 
account  of  the  manner  in  which  one  of  the«e  gentle- 
men lost  his  life,  is  thrilling.  He  says:  “Not  far  be- 
yond the  mesa,  we  enter  upon  a rugged  region,  abound- 
ing in  breaks  and  arroyas^very  rocky  and  difficult  for 
our  horses.  In  one  of  these  desolate  places  we  visited 
the  spot  where  Mr.  H.  C.  Grosvenor,  the  last  manager 
of  the  Santa  Rita  mines,  and  the  last  of  the  three  man- 
agers whose  fate  was  similar,  was  killed  by  the 
Apaches  about  two  years  ago.  It  appears  that  a 
wagon  containing  supplies  had  been  sent  out  from 
Tubac  and  was  on  its  way  to  the  hacienda , when  the 
men  who  accompanied  it  were  attacked  and  killed. 
Mr.  Grosvenor  and  Mr.  Pumpelly  had  passed  the 
wagon  and  teamsters  a few  minutes  before  and  pro- 
ceeded to  the  hacienda.  As  the  freight  party  did  not 
arrive  within  a reasonable  time,  Grosvenor  walked  out 
alone  to  see  what  was  the  cause  of  the  delay.  The 
Apachds  had  meantime  made  their  murderous  attack 
on  the  teamsters  and  plundered  the  wagon ; and  were 
moving  up  the  Canon,  when  they  saw  Grosvenor  com- 
ing, and  immediately  formed  an  ambush  behind  the 
rocks  and  shot  him  dead,  as  he  approached.  Ilis 
grave  lies  a few  hundred  yards  from  the  headquarters 
of  the  hacienda.  A marble  head -stone,  upon  which 


318 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


his  name  is  inscribed,  with  the  additional  words,  not 
uncommon  in  Arizona,  “ killed  by  the  Apaches,” 
marks  the  spot.  By  the  side  of  this  grave  is  another 
liead-stone,  bearing  the  name  of  Mr.  Slack,  his  prede- 
cessor, -who  lost  his  life  by  this  ruthless  tribe  of  Indi- 
ans. Another  of  the  managers  also  killed  by  the 
Apaches,  lies  buried  at  Tubac.” 

Although  the  principal  rendezvous  of  the  formidable 
chief  Cochise  was  in  the  capricious  Dragoon  Mountains? 
the  defiles  and  gorges  of  the  Santa  Ritas  used  to 
serve  him  “ on  a pinch  ” we  think,  as  he  often  availed 
himself  of  its  natural  fortresses,  and  partook  of  its 
hospitable  camping  grounds ; many  objects  of  a rude 
character,  such  as  a cluster  of  stones,  board,  or  a stick 
stuck  in  the  ground,  and  some  improvised  means  of 
informing  the  passer  by  that  “here  lies  the  body  of 
, killed  by  the  Apaches,”  will  testify  to  this. 

Holding  converse  here  for  a very  limited  time  only 
with  the  spirits  of  some  of  the  noblest  and  boldest  pio- 
neers and  frontiersmen  of  our  country,  and  congratulat- 
ing ourselves  that  Cochise  had  gone  to  his  happy  hunt- 
ing ground  (as  he  will  have  more  facilities  there)  but 
hoping  there  are  no  white  people  with  him,  we  take  a 
hasty  departure  for  the  Toltec  camp  of  the  Aztec 
Mining  Company.  We  have  arrived.  And  now  while 
seated  in  a log  cabin,  after  a good  mountain  meal  of 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


319 


venison  and  quail,  my  mission  being  to  portray  to  all 
the  particular  and  leading  features  of  Arizona’s  do- 
main, I will  diverge  again,  and  give  to  my  reader  a 
chapter  of  facts,  fancies  and  figures,  suggested  by  my 
impressions  of  this  particular  region.  The  party  are  all 
busy  talking  “ mines,”  and  planning  for  the  prospecting 
and  inspection  of  their  new  mines  to-morrow;  computing 
the  cost  of  bringing  machinery  and  supplies  to  the  place ; 
strengthening  their  confidence  in  their  success  by  re- 
iterating the  success  that  has  already  attended  the 
McMillen,  Globe,  Peck  and  McCracken  districts,  and 
congratulating  themselves  on  the  lack  of  antimony, 
zinc,  and  sulphur  the  ore  of  Arizona  are  known  to  show. 

I am  seated  in  one  corner  of  the  cabin  with  a glori- 
ous fire  of  logs  to  my  back,  with  a rough  plank  board 
stretched  across  two  logs  at  my  side  for  a table.  On 
the  board  was  a turnip  in  which  I had  dug  a hole  and 
placed  a candle.  The  fire  cast  its  glare  of  light  about 
the  room,  while  the  candle  flickered  a mellow  accom- 
paniment to  the  sterner  rays. 

Until  reaching  this  neighborhood  of  the  111th  meri- 
dian, although  whatever  other  interests  may  and  evi- 
dently have  bespoken  a glorious  future  for  Arizona, 
the  traveler  may  claim  a lack  of  any  general  system  of 
continuous  mountains  with  its  Yosemities,  its  Niagaras, 
or  its  canyons  of  a yellow-stone.  But  here,  about  two- 


320 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


thirds  the  distance  across  the  State  in  this  latitude, 
the  general  features  change,  and  as  you  proceed  east 
still  further  the  full  change  has  taken  place.  From  a 
land  of  the  richest  meadows  and  plain,  you  ascend  by 
a system  of  mountains  in  an  altitude  where  snow 
abounds  in  July.  Lieut.  Geo.  M.  Wheeler,  of  the 
United  States  surveys,  said  to  me  on  one  occasion 
while  at  his  house  in  Washington,  that  he  had  rarely, 
if  ever,  beheld  a more  wonderful  and  beautiful  range 
of  country  than  that  witnessed  from  the  heights  of 
some  of  the  mountains  of  eastern  Arizona.  What 
water-falls,  what  peculiarly  wonderful  valleys,  what 
canyons  exist  unknown  in  this  yet  unexplored  coun- 
try, is  difficult  to  conceive.  What  natural  topographi- 
cal curiosities  lie  hidden  in  this  “marvelous  country” 
can  only  be  surmised  ; and  the  surmises  be  equalled 
only,  by  the  suppositions  founded  on  the  most  justifi- 
able demonstrations.  What  there  is  to  satisfy  the 
more  curious  sight-seer  and  tourist  in  nature’s  realms 
alone,  is  perhaps  but  poorly  demonstrated,  compared 
to  her  sterner  and  more  useful  qualifications,  and  yet 
she  is  not  wanting  even  in  these. 

In  the  more  northern  part  of  the  Territory  alone, 
the  famous  Colorado  is  known  by  the  reports  of  Major 
J.  W.  Powell  of  the  United  States  Geological  and  Geo- 
graphical surveys,  to  possess  features  grand  enough, 
and  thrilling,  to  warrant  the  Territory  a passport 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


321 


in  this  respect.  I will  first  give  some  of  the  topo* 
grapical  features  to  support  my  theories,  and  then  re- 
fer to  the  grand  canyons  of  the  Colorado  Kiver,  and  to 
the  river  itselfi 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


THE  MEETING  OF  THE  MOUNTAINS— ARIZONA’S  NATURAL  WON- 
DERS—THE  MICROCOSM  OF  THE  WORLD— THE  COLORADO  — 
ITS  CANYONS— ITS  PLATEAUS— ITS  CAPRICES— A HOME  FOR 
THE  “REPEATER” — THE  INDIAN  GUIDES  OF  THE  COLORADO 
—A  RIVER  THAT  “ TELLS  NO  TALES.” 

IN  Arizona  is  centered  the  three  great  mountain  sys- 
tems of  the  North  American  Continent  The 
Rocky  mountains,  the  Sierras,  and  the  great  metal 
bearing  Cordilleras  of  Mexico  come  together  here,  and 
cast  themselves  in  her  very  midst.  Here  the  series 
of  metalliferous  mountains  to  the  north  in  Nevada, 
which  has  created  so  much  furore  over  the  whole 
country,  and  the  mountains  of  untold  wealth  of  So- 
nora in  Mexico,  come  together  as  though  they  had 
some  great  difficulty  to  settle ; and  in  the  upheavals 
it  seems  as  though  they  had  spent  all  their  force  in  the 
contest  What  are  the  effects  yet  to  be  discovered,  of 
such  a clashing?  In  the  very  demonstrations  of  the 
conditions  already  known  to  exist, — that  of  the  min- 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


323 


erals — will  the  interesting  and  more  wonderful  features 
of  Arizona  be  brought  to  light. 

By  refering  to  a map  of  Arizona  it  will  be  noticed 
that  a succession  of  mountainous  regions  find  their 
way  from  the  extreme  southeastern  part  of  the  Terri- 
tory, to  the  northwest  where  the  great  Colorado  bends 
on  its  course  east  and  south.  In  this  succession  or 
system  is  located  the  famous  Santa  Catarina  and  Santa 
Bita  mineral  districts  of  the  extreme  southeast;  the 
great  silver  bonanza  district  of  the  “ Stonewall  Jack- 
son  ” mine  and  the  McMillen  district ; the  rich  mines 
in  and  around  Prescott,  in  its  high  and  beautiful 
mountain  elevation  ; and  lastly  to  the  northwest,  the 
rich  and  noted  location  of  the  McCracken  mine,  near 
the  great  bend  of  the  Colorado,  at  which  place,  for 
natural  wonders,  Arizona  may  not  be  jealous,  even  of 
her  sister  State,  California.  In  these  higher  regions 
platinum,  too,  is  already  traced. 

Col.  R J.  Hinton  in  his  hand-book,  says,  in  allud- 
ing to  the  peculiar  and  interesting  mineral  effects  and 
phenomena  in  the  highly  charged  electrical  locations  : 
“ Similar  phenomena  from  this  cause  have  been  ob- 
served in  the  Libyan  desert,  and  on  the  Congo  and 
Orinoco  Rivers,  which  with  other  circumstances  as  to 
climate,  etc.,  indicate  that  the  Pacific  slope  is  a micro- 
cosm of  the  world,  where  Italy,  Egypt,  Arabia,  Tim- 
buctoo,  Kamschatka,  Brazil  and  the  ‘ gem  of  the  sea  ’ 


324 


PICTURESQUE  AIIIZONA. 


can  aJl  be  found  within  a week’s  travel  of  each  other . 
more  especially  when  the  ‘missing  links’  of  railroad 
are  complete.” 

The  Colonel  could  not  have  missed  it,  if  he  had 
used  this  similitude  to  all  conditions  of  Arizona  alike. 
In  the  great  Marble  canyon  of  the  Colorado  River,  is 
a section  where  the  walls  rise  to  a height  of  six  thous- 
and feet.  Imagine  yourself  standing  by  the  side  of  the 
mighty  El  Capitan  in  the  Yosemite  Yalley,  increased 
to  double  its  height.  Can  you  conceive  it?  Hardly; 
you  are  entering  the  grand  canyons  of  the  Colorado. 
From  the  summit,  inland,  extends  an  immense  plateau 
with  its  meadows,  lakes,  etc.  Being  in  a high  altitude 
eight  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  snow 
can  be  found  late  in  the  season ; and  yet  sections  of 
verdant  hills  and  meadows  are  found  in  luxuriance. 
Immense  herds  of  deer  rove  here  at  will ; and  as  well 
as  destined  to  become  a retreat  for  the  sight-seeing 
tourists  in  its  grand  canyons  and  gigantic  walls,  the 
huntsman’s  gun  will  “ crack  ” in  these  regions  with 
most  profitable  results  for  ages  to  come.  This  is  the 
land  of  the  Rai  vav-it  Indians.  Pine  forests  are  abun- 
dant. It  is  said  there  is  one  place  in  these  canyons, 
where  the  walls  are  so  high  and  so  close  together,  that 
it  makes  the  place  just  dark  enough  for  one  to  see  the 
light  of  the  stars  in  the  heaven  at  day-time.  It  seems  to 
me  this  must  be  the  location  referred  to  in  the  latter 


BUTTE  IN  THE  UPPER  COLORADO  CANYON-COLORADO  RIVER,  ARIZONA. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


327 


part  of  the  sixteenth  century,  by  the  early  Spanish 
conquerors  from  Mexico,  in  their  explorations  to  the 
north.  They  reported  great  and  wonderful  rivers, 
“the  banks  of  which  were  three  or  four  leagues  in  the 
air.”  Imagine  walls  nine  to  twelve  miles  high.  This 
was  the  report  of  the  expedition  of  Don  Garcia  Lopez 
de  Cardenas,  under  direction  of  Coronado,  in  1540. 
Either  they,  in  their  continued  enthusiasm  of  the  new 
country  grossly  exagerated  the  height,  or  we  have 
failed  to  retain  a knowlege  of  the  location  referred  to. 

At  one  place  there  is  a succession  of  these  plateaus, 
each  one  of  which  is  lower  than  the  previous  one,  un- 
til from  a plateau  of  country  embracing  all  the  cli- 
mates of  a temperate  zone,  you  approach  to  that  of  a 
semi-tropical.  Each  one  of  these  plateaus  end  with  an 
abrupt  break  or  wall  descending  to  one  below. 
Sometimes  the  drop  from  one  plateau  to  the  other 
will  measure  many  hundred  feet,  and  even  approach 
to  the  thousands. 

In  one  place,  by  a manoeuvre  of  the  river,  two 
plateaus  are  thrown  in  such  a relation  to  each  other 
that  you  can  stand  on  one  where  snow  is  not  an  un- 
common thing  in  July,  and  where  pines  live  and  pota- 
toes grow,  and  throw  a stone  into  a little  semi-tropical 
valley  where  the  sub-tropical  plants  grow  luxuriantly, 
and  the  fig  and  the  orange ; and  the  sugar  cane  and 
rice  are  being  cultivated  now  by  a sparse  population. 


328 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


New  “El  Capitans,”  new  “Fort  Rocks”  and  “Bridal 
Veils, ” and  other  Yosemite  freaks  will,  we  may  sup- 
pose, be  opened  at  no  very  distant  day  to  the  sight- 
seer and  the  tourist. 

The  length  of  the  Colorado  River  is  two  thousand 
miles.  About  four  hundred  miles  from  its  mouth, 
the  river  takes  an  easterly  course,  and  extending  a dis- 
tance of  two  hundred  miles  in  the  northern  part  of 
Arizona;  and  running  up  into  Utah  are  the  great 
Marble,  Glen,  and  Grand  canyons  of  the  Colorado. 
In  these  canyons  exist  the  glories  of  this  river.  The 
lower  portion  of  the  river  is  mainly  on  a level  with 
the  sea  ; but  in  these  canyons  the  river  and  plateaus 
range  from  four  to  fourteen  thousand  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea ; and  in  this  distance  of  two  hundred 
miles,  the  liver  falls  five  thousand  feet.  After  leaving 
the  region  of  the  canyon  the  river  takes  a direct  south- 
erly course  and  opens  out  upon  a broad  stretch  of  al- 
ternate flat  lands,  prairies,  and  deserts.  The  grand 
gorges  of  the  upper  Colorado  and  its  ponderous  can- 
yons have  been  passed,  but  you  have  entered  a river? 
which,  for  its  whims  and  caprices,  can  scarcely  be 
equaled  by  any  navigable  stream.  Lacking  the  po- 
tent, ponderous  stability  of  its  upper  portions,  the 
lower,  like  a man  jealous  of  his  defeat  in  love  or 
accomplishments,  tries  how  far  he  can  hate,  or  what  a 
distorted  compound  he  can  make  of  himself,  seems  to 


MABBLE  CAJNYON  OF  TI1E  COEOBADO  BIVEB. 


/ 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


331 


glory  in  its  very  caprice  and  its  contrariness.  Run- 
ning through  a region  often  of  sands  and  disintegrated 
earth,  the  river  will  often  change  its  entire  course  in 
twenty-four  hours.  Boats  coming  down  the  river  this 
week  will  find,  in  going  up  next  week,  the  channel  of 
the  river  has  been  completely  changed,  and  that  new 
islands  have  been  formed,  old  ones  washed  away  ; bar- 
riers, where  before  there  had  been  plain  sailing.  To- 
day this  or  that  piece  or  strip  of  land,  will  be  in  Ari- 
zona. To-morrow  in  California.  Land  speculations 
along  the  banks  of  this  river  at  present  would  puzzle, 
the  brains  of  our  shrewdest  lawyers.  To-day  the  river 
would  take  a sweep  around  a section  of  land  upon 
which  had  settled  some  thrifty  farmer,  cutting  his 
farm  in  two,  taking  part  of  his  land  over  to  Arizona, 
and  the  next  day  continue  its  incursions  and  take  the 
rest  of  his  land,  house  and  all,  over  with  it.  One  day 
he  lives  in  Arizona  the  next  in  California.  This 
would  be  a good  place  for  a “repeater  ” to  live;  or  a 
sorry  place  for  a good  honest  voter. 

These  conditions,  it  will  be  seen,  necessitates  a con- 
stant changing  of  the  course  of  traveling.  Each  suc- 
cessive trip  is  an  exploration  for  “ a new  passage  to 
the  north  ” or  south.  Each  steamboat,  as  it  plys  the 
river,  and  on  each  and  every  trip,  has  stationed  at  its 
bow,  with  lead  and  line,  or  pole  (the  river  for  the  most 
part  over  these  plains  being  very  shallow),  a stalwart 


332 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


Indian  measuring  the  depth  of  the  water  as  the  boat 
proceeds.  In  quaint- accents  of  the  true  American 
Indian,  and  decidedly  broken  English,  this  half-clad 
Zuma  or  Apache  will  shout:  “Three!”  “Three  and 
a half ! ” “ Two  and  a quarter ! ” “ Two  ! ” “ Two  and 
a half ! ” etc.  etc.  It  sounds  as  though  he  said  : “ Thee ! ” 
“ Thee  ’n  ha  ! ” “ To  ! ” etc.  etc.  ; and  as  his  voice 
goes  forth  smothered  by  the  deadening  sound  of  the 
steamboat,  and  in  the  stillness  of  the  surroundings, 
you  will  fancy  you  are  on  a voyage  up  the  Nile  to 
discover  its  source. 

This  again  calls  to  mind  the  number  of  experiences 
all  through  Arizona,  that  will  so  thoroughly  act  as 
substitutes  for  distant  travels  in  foreign  lands,  or 
among  the  different  people  and  nations  of  the  earth. 
Not  only  is  this  river  whimsical  in  its  course,  but  es- 
pecially capricious  in  its  actions.  Often  some  new 
feature  of  its  unruly  nature  will  be  told.  It  is  a river, 
they  say,  that  does  not  give  up  its  dead.  A story  of 
one  of  its  manoeuvres  was  told  me  while  at  Yuma. 

It  seems  that  in  the  river  there  will  often  appear  on 
the  top  of  the  water  a sort  of  air  bubble  ; after  remain- 
ing a moment  it  bursts  with  the  noise  of  a poji  gun. 
Then  commences  a vociferous  action  of  the  water,  as- 
suming a circular  motion  resembling  a whirlpool. 
These  are  very  powerful  at  first,  but  decrease  as  they 
become  larger  and  finally  die  out.  For  a goodly  dis- 


THE  GEEAT  CAM'ON  OF  THE  COLODOEA  EIVEE — ARIZONA. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


335 


tance,  however,  their  power  is  sufficient  to  take  a 
small  boat  within  their  grasp,  when  it  and  its  freight 
is  never  heard  from  more,  for  the  bodies  never  rise. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


REMARKABLE  RUINS  IN  SOUTHERN  ARIZONA— THE  FOUNDERS  OF 
THE  AZTEC  AND  TOLTEC  SYNDICATES  OF  MINES— THE 
GRANDEST  PECUNIARY  SUCCESS  ON  RECORD— THE  BOLLAS 
DE  PLATA  (BALLS  OF  SILVER)— COL.  J.  D.  GRAHAM. 

EXICAN  tradition,  relating  to  the  Primeria  Alta, 


being  that  portion  of  Arizona  Territory  embraced 
within  the  Gadsden  purchase,  is  full  of  statements  in 
relation  to  rich  lodes,  deposits  and  old  mines,  whose 
sites  are  now  lost.  The  chief  of  these  locations  are 
placed  in  the  remarkable  mineral  region  by  which  on 
either  side  the  valley  of  the  Upper  Santa  Cruz  is  sur- 
rounded. The  Planchas  de  Plata , or  places  of  silver, 
around  which  has  grown  a well  authenticated  story  of 
Mexican  enterprise  and  Spanish  greed  and  tyranny, 
lias  always  been  placed  by  the  tradition  within  the 
borders  of  Arizona,  but  close  to  the  Sonora  line  and 
to  the  east  of  the  Santa  Cruz  valley,  and  the  Oro  Blan- 
co Mountains.  Within  the  past  few  months  it  is 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


337 


claimed  that  these  extraordinary  deposits  have  been 
re-discovered,  and  are  now  being  quietly  worked  by  an 
American  miner  and  his  associates.  Chief  among  the 
traditional  mines,  for  the  re-discovery  of  which,  the 
most  daring  and  vigorous  of  search  has  been  made 
since  the  occupation  of  the  Primeria  Alta  by  Americans, 
is  the  famous  Jesuit  mine,  known  by  the  name  of  the 
Old  Mission,  whose  ruins  have  been  so  fully  described  in 
these  pages — The  Tumacacori  Mine.  Since  Charles  D. 
Boston,  Herman  Ehrenberg  and  their  comrades  first 
located  an  American  mining  settlement  at  the  old 
pueblo  of  Tubac,  six  miles  from  the  Tumacacori  Mis- 
sion, there  has  been  more  of  endeavor,  enterprise,  dar- 
ing and  courage  displayed  in  the  attempt  to  re-locate  this 
old  mine,  so  famous  in  the  mission  annals  for  its  rich- 
ness, than  in  all  the  other  efforts  made  to  hold  the 
country  against  Cochise  and  his  Apacb&s.  Tradition, 
besides  statements  of  its  richness,  almost  fabulous 
in  character,  has  left  no  other  indication  of  its  where- 
abouts than  the  declaration  of  one  of  the  mission  bis- 
tro rographe  is, — that  the  mine  lay  directly  east  of  St. 
Joseph’s  Chui  ch  (the  Mission  of  Tumacacori)  a morn, 
ing’s  walk,  or  as  elsewhere  stated,  about  fourteen  miles 
distant.  Recent  investigation  in  the  Sierra  Santa  Rita 
glowing  out  of  the  renewed  activity  induced  by  the 
enterprise  and  speculation,  which  organized  the 
nlready  successful  Aztec  Syndicate,  and  has  made  this 


338 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


beautifnl  mountain  range,  the  last  stronghold  of  the 
Apache  Napoleon,  Cochise — the  scene  of  vigorous  ex- 
ploring efforts,  opened  numerous  mines,  established 
Toltec  Camp  and  aroused  a general  interest  in  this  re- 
gion, has  also  been  able  to  definitely  establish  the 
existence  and  site  of  the  lost  Tumacacori  mine. 

Following  the  milpas , or  secondary  mountain  bench, 
from  the  farm  of  Joe  King  in  the  Santa  Cruz  valley 
which  embraces  the  mission  ruins)  for  some  eleven 
miles,  the  traveler  will  reach  the  ruins  of  the  old  Ha- 
cienda del  Santa  Rita,  where  Wrightson,  Grosvenor, 
Hopkins  and  Slack,  lost  their  lives,  and  part  of  the 
defence  of  which  in  1861,  is  so  graphically  described 
by  Professor  Raphael  Pumpelly,  now  of  Harvard  Uni- 
versity, in  his  book  “ Across  America  and  Asia.”  A 
well  defined  road  evidently  long  used,  and  now  made 
quite  easy  and  accessible,  is  the  route  from  the  valley. 
To  the  north,  Salero  Hill  looms  up  boldly,  and  the 
explorer  in  search  of  the  old  Tumacacori  mine  will  fol- 
low a rough  but  still  good  road  for  a couple  of  miles 
to  the  Salero  House,  used  by  the  Tyndall  Company 
since  1875.  From  this  point  for  another  mile  or  so? 
the  explorer  will  follow  a rude  bridle  path  to  the 
Jefferson  mine,  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  those  now 
worked  by  the  Aztec  Syndicate.  To  the  north  and  east 
of  the  Jefferson  for  less  than  half  a mile,  an  old  mule 
track,  evidently  once  heavily  used,  may  be  traced. 


MAP  OF  THE  ANCIENT  PROVINCE  OF 
TUSAYAN,  ARIZONA. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


341. 


It  leads  directly  to  a strongly  defined  lode  of  the  same 
general  character  as  the  Jefferson  and  Georgia  mines, 
and  terminates  at  what  is  evidently  an  old  shaft,  now 
filled  with  debris,  and  from  the  mouth  of  which  a vig- 
orous m esq  nite  tree  maybe  seen  growing.  The  evi- 
dence is  abundant  of  old  workings,  and  those  best  in- 
formed in  the  Mexican  and  Gaqui  Indian  traditions, 
like  Professor  Thomas  Davis,  who  has  resided  and 
worked  among  them  for  more  than  a quarter  of  a cen- 
tury, have  no  doubt  whatever,  of  the  identity  of  the 
Bushell,  as  this  location  is  now  termed,  with  the  long- 
lost  site  of  the  famous  Tumacacori  mine. 

The  Bushell  forms  one  of  a group  of  ten  valuable 
mines  now  being  developed  under  the  management  of 
the  Toltec  Syndicate,  an  organization  of  experi- 
enced mining  experts  and  operators,  who  have  already 
proven  their  knowledge  of  the  metalliferous  richness  of 
this  region,  and  their  confidence  in  its  development, 
by  their  successful  organization  of  the  well  known 
Aztec  Syndicate. 

The  Aztec  Syndicate  having  passed  into  the  hands 
of  eastern  capitalists  by  purchase,  the  original  project- 
ors with  the  added  experience  which  their  wide  knowl- 
edge of  the  Santa  Ilita  and  its  mineral  treasures  has 
given  them,  have  selected  a group  of  ten  locations, 
and  commenced  a thorough  system  of  development  and 
working.  This  project  is  not  set  up  as  a speculation, 


342 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


but  as  an  investment,  to  be  honestly  developed  into 
an  affluent  enterprise.  The  fact  that  Colonel  John  D. 
Graham,  the  successful  organizer  and  Secretary  of  the 
first  Aztec  Syndicate,  has  been  appointed  Managing 
Director  of  the  Toltec  Sjmdicate,  is  proof  sufficient  to 
all  interested  in  Southern  Arizona,  of  the  success  that 
will  attend  the  enterprise. 

The  Toltec  mines  are  admirably  located  both  for 
their  present  accessibility  and  the  richness  of  the  lodes 
on  which  they  are  situated.  The  Bushell  and  the 
Saint  Louis  Mining  Companies  have  recently  been 
incorporated  in  California,  and  the  balance  will  speed- 
ily be  put  in  the  same  shape.  The  offices  of  these 
companies  and  of  the  Toltec  Syndicate,  are  located  at 
No.  302  Montgomery  Street,  San  Francisco.  The  first 
efficient  Superintendent  of  the  Aztec  mines  and  prop- 
erty, John  E.  Magee  has  assumed  the  duties  of  Resi- 
dent Superintendent  of  the  Bushell  and  Saint  Louis 
mines,  on  both  of  which  work  is  being  energetically 
pushed.  He  also  has  charge  of  the  general  interests  of 
the  Toltec  Syndicate  in  the  Territory. 

The  Bushell,  or  old  Tumacacori  mine  is  now  being 
opened,  new  shafts  are  being  sunk,  and  the  old  one 
already  described  is  to  be  cleared  out  at  an  early  day. 
The  ore  developments  are  all  excellent.  The  Saint 
Louis  mine  is  located  on  the  famous  Empress  of  India 
lode,  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  Aztec  district  It 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


343 


promises  the  richest  developments  of  any  location  on 
that  very  remarkable  lode.  Ranging  to  the  east  and 
north  of  the  Saint  Louis,  on  the  same  lode  and  its  spur, 
the  Toltec  Syndicate,  own  and  are  about  to  work  the 
following  locations:  The  Knoxville,  Webster  and 

Velasco — making  a group  of  four  valuable  locations, 
on  a remarkable  lode  that  has  been  described  in  Hin- 
ton’s Hand  Book  to  Arizona,  as  “cropping out  boldly, 
sometimes  in  high  cliffs  or  with  a general  width  of 
from  eighty  to  three  hundred  feet.  The  lode  is  over 
two  hundred  feet  wide,  and  shows  metal  the  full  width. 
In  these  shallow  old  workings,  some  three  or  four  feet 
deep,  we  have  picked  out  ore  that  will  assay  $800  per 
ton.  The  character  of  the  whole  lode  is  the  same,  and 
streaks  of  metal  can  be  found  of  green  and  black  sil- 
ver mixed  with  manganese  from  one  end  to  the  other ; 
in  some  places  yellow  chloride.  The  vein  matter  is 
porphyry,  gneiss  and  quartz,  strongly  colored  with 
iron  ; general  formation  incasing  the  lode  is  granite.” 
To  the  north  and  east  of  the  Empress  of  India  lode, 
and  of  the  Inca  mine,  (one  of  the  best  locations  em- 
braced in  the  Aztec  Syndicate)  the  Toltec  own  the 
Rickard  and  Ojero  mines,  both  located  on  bold  ledges, 
with  croppings  that  indicate  rich  veins.  The  Rickard, 
so  named  after  the  well-known  English  metallurgist, 
chemist  and  assayer,  now  living  at  Tucson,  is  located 
on  the  Rickard  lode  near  the  Colorado.  The  Forsyth 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


VA  4 


another  valuable  mine  belonging  to  theToltec,  adjoins 
the  famous  Hamilton  mine  to  the  east  of  Salero  Hill 
in  the  Tyndall  district,  while  “ La  Purissima  ” is  a lit- 
tle south  and  east  of  the  Bushell  mine  on  the  northern 
side  of  Salero  Hill,  and  on  the  eastern  end  of  the  great 
Napoleon  lode.  The  character  of  these  mines — The 
Bushell  and  La  Purissima — can  be  seen  in  part  from 
the  following  moderately  worded -report  on  the  latter 
location  made  August  13,  1877,  by  John  E.  Magee  to 
Col.  Graham  : 

“ The  Purissima  mine  is  on  the  Napoleon  lode,  one 
half  mile  from  the  old  Salero  mine.  This  lode  crops 
out  for  over  two  miles  showing  good  mineral  at  many 
places  all  the  way.  In  1875,  Messrs.  Ryan,  Mansfield, 
and  myself  took  up  what  we  named  the  Jefferson  mine 
on  this  lode  and  had  some  of  the  croppings  assayed. 
The  vein  shows  on  the  surface  four  to  five  feet,  con- 
taining a great  deal  of  galena.  On  the  Purissima 
mine,  tons  of  mineral  can  be  taken  right  off  the  surface, 
which  shows  better  than  the  Jefferson  did.  The  Pur- 
issima is  not  so  easy  of  access  ” (at  that  time  occasional 
Apachd  raids  made  it  necessary  for  miners  to  have  an 
easy  way  of  retreat.  Their  rendezvous  then  was  the 
adobe  building  known  as  the  Salero  House.)  “ or  we 
would  have  taken  it  in  preference.  On  the  Jefferson 
we  now  have  a shaft  sixty-five  feet  deep”  (It  is  now 
much  deeper.)  “ with  a wonderful  showing  of  ore.  The 


THE  “TOLTEC”  MINING  CAMP. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


445 


vein  in  the  bottom  is  nine  feet  eight  inches,  solid  good 
ore  of  fair  milling  quality,  which  assays  $187  per  ton 
average.” 

This  lode  is  all  now  taken  up  from  one  end  to  the 
other.  It  ha9  an  easterly  and  westerly  direction.  The 
vein  in  the  Jefferson  shaft  pitches  slightly  south — 
hanging  wall  pure  granite — foot  wall  syenite  granite 
and  some  porphyry.  A clay  gorge  lies  along  the  foot- 
wall,  sometimes  against  it  and  then  again  four  to  five 
inches  away  from  it.  The  formation  is  perfect  and  if 
there  is  such  a thing  as  a true  fissure  in  mining,  this 
vein  is  certainly  one  of  them.  The  old  Santa  Rita 
Mining  Company  owned  and  prospected  this  lode  un- 
der the  name  of  the  “Bustillo,”  and  in  their  reports 
put  it  down  as  a “fine  rich  vein.”  * * * Mr.  Ma- 

gee thinks  thst  the  ore  from  LaPurissima  “ will  give  a 
higher  assay  than  the  Jefferson,  for  it  certainly  has  a 
finer  appearance.”  He  adds  that  “ he  knows  it  is  an 
excellent  mine — a first  class  property  of  good  average 
ore  with  a true  fissure  vein.”  J.  Ross  Browne  des- 
cribed the  lode  on  which  La  Purissima  is  located  as 
quite  rich,  showing  silver  sulphuret  and  galena.  Mr. 
Wrightson,  superintendent  of  the  Santa  Rita  Mining 
Company,  writing  in  1859  of  the  ores  on  the  Napoleon 
lode  then  known  as  the  “Bustillo”  says: — “The  ores 
are  suited  to  both  smelting  and  amalgamation.  The 
smelting  ores  are  those  in  which  there  is  a very  large 


346  PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 

admixture  of  lead,  or  very  rich  sulphurets  of  silver 
and  copper.  The  amalgamation  ores — those  where  the 
culls  of  silver  and  copper  predominate.  * * * * 

The  Bushell  and  the  Ojera  mines  yield  ores  which  by 
assortment  can  be  treated  by  both  processes.”  Of  the 
Hamilton  lode,  on  which  the  the  Forsyth  mine  is  situ- 
ated, Professor  Davis  says  in  a report  made  May  1877, 
that  he  found  thereon  “four  old  shafts  and  workings 
from  ten  to  twenty-two  feet  in  depth;  height  from 
tide  water  at  upper  shaft,  4,600  feet.  This  is  an  im- 
mense vein,  or  rather  two  veins  exactly  parallel  and 
nearly  contiguous.  Are  all  of  a higher  grade;  should 
judge  would  yield  two  hundred  dollars  per  ton  ; vein 
well  defined,  from  eight  to  ten  feet  wide  and  growing 
wider  as  you  go  down — metal  the  whole  width  of  the 
vein,  and  all  of  the  works  show  the  same.” 

The  Toltec  Syndicate  property  thus  admirably  loca- 
ted is  bonnd  within  a short  time,  under  the  energetic 
management  of  its  owners  and  the  vigorous  direction 
of  Col.  Graham  to  become  one  of  the  very  best  in 
Southern  Arizona.  I have  been  thus  particular  in  de- 
scribing it,  because  to  the  ability  and  energy  of  the 
gentlemen  engaged  therein,  assisted  by  the  recognized 
capacity  for  observation  and  statement  of  Col.  R J. 
Hinton,  whose  journeys  and  descriptions  of  this  region 
are  unquestioned  for  correctness  of  detail  and  pictur- 
esque vivacity,  belong  very  much  of  the  credit  which  is 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


347 


due  the  influences  that  have  so  recently  made  the  mineral 
wealth,  climate,  soil  and  romantic  beautv  of  this  region, 
a subject  of  interest  to  the  whole  country,  and  so 
brought  about  that  present  activity  of  labor,  skill  and 
capital  which  bids  fair  ere  long  to  make  the  Santa 
Cruz  Yalley  and  the  region  of  which  it  is  the  centre, 
one  of  the  richest  and  most  enterprising  mining  dis- 
tricts within  the  United  States. 

Persons  desirous  of  more  especial  information  rela- 
tive to  this  section  of  country  should  address  Col. 
John  D.~  Graham  at  802  Montgomery  street,  San  Fran- 
cisco Cal,  a gentleman  who  has  done  more  to  develop 
and  bring  to  the  front  the  resources  of  Southern  Ari- 
zona than  any  other  living  man.  The  author  of  this 
volume  was  the  guest  of  Col.  Graham  in  a remarkable 
pleasant  trip — from  Yuma  to  the  Santa  Eita  Moun- 
tains during  last  December  and  January,  and  it  was 
during  this  trip  that  the  excellent  views  contained  in 
this  volume  were  taken,  being  the  first  photographs 
ever  taken  of  these  historic  and  interesting  localities. 
Knowing  Col  Graham  and  his  associates  in  the  enter- 
prise above  spoken  of  we  most  heartily  recotnmend  all 
persons  desirous  of  information  relative  to  this  subject 
to  put  themselves  in  communication  with  him,  and  we 
desire  here  to  specially  record  our  thanks  for  unlim- 
ited courtesies  and  very  valuable  aid  and  assistance 
during  our  memorable  trip  to  Southern  Arizona. 


348 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


In  dilating  upon  this  region,  it  seems  to  me  the  rec- 
ollections of  facts  and  hearsays  flash  upon  me  faster, 
and  more  prominently  than  usual,  and  than  I can  note. 
In  referring  to  this  section,  the  versatile  write’-,  J. 
Ross  Browne,  in  describing  Tubac  which  lies  in  the 
Santa  Cruz  Yalley,  says:  “It  lies  on  a pleasant  slope 
in  one  of  the  most  beautiful  parts  of  the  valley  of  the 
Santa  Cruz,  and  that  it  overlooks  two  of  the  richest 
mining  districts  within  the  limits  of  the  Territory.” 
Again  ; the  New  York  Mining- Record,  in  referring 
to  the  same  region,  says : — “ It  is  located  in  the  heart 
of  the  extraordinary  metalliferous  region  of  the  Santa 
Cruz  River  in  Southwestern  Arizona,  where  formerly 
the  Jesuit  priests,  with  the  Spanish  inhabitants  and 
Indian  neophytes  mined  with  rich  results  though 
scarcely  breaking  ground,  and  having,  as  the  many  re- 
mains attest,  but  the  rudest  and  most  imperfect  means 
of  smelting  or  converting  the  ore  into  bullion.  The 
fame  of  the  ‘ Bollos  de  Plata  ’ (balls  of  silver)  of  Ari- 
zona in  the  beginning  of  the  last  century  was  such  at 
the  City  of  Mexico  and  finally  in  Spain,  that  a royal 
ordinance  issued  from  Madrid,  declared  the  district  of 
Arizona  to  be  royal  property  as  a Criadero  de  Plata: 
that  is  to  say,  a place  where  silver  was  formed  in  the 
processes  of  nature.  There  is  also  in  existence  a royal 
paper  of  Philip  Y.  of  May  1741,  charging  among  other 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


349 


embezzlements  of  royal  mineral  property  in  Arizona 
that  of  a mass  of  virgin  or  pure  silver  weighing  two 
thousand  seven  hundred  pounds.” 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


FROM  CAMP  APACHE,  NORTHEAST— A LAND  FULL  OF  INTEREST— 
A GREAT  AGRICULTURAL  AND  MINERAL  BELT  COMBINED. 

FROM  Camp  Apachd  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
miles  in  a northeasterly  direction,  lies  the  pre- 
historic land  of  the  Moqui  and  Zuni  of  which  we  have 
spoken.  The  immense  tract  of  land  enroute,  promises 
to  be  one  of  great  interest  at  the  opening  of  this  region 
in  the  near  future  to  all  classes  of  travelers — tourist, 
emigrant,  historian,  philologist 

To  the  tourist,  for  the  many  rural  phenomena  which 
such  a diversified  country  must  naturally  open  up ; 
to  the  emigrant  farmer,  for  its  fertility  of  lands  and 
well  watered  valleys ; and  to  the  historian  and  philol- 
ogist, for  the  races  of  beings  and  their  languages,  which 
have  but  recently  attracted  the  attention  of  the  world. 
This  latter  class  or  features  of  attraction  is  in  embryo. 
It  has  simply  dawned,  to  inflame  the  spark  of  inquisi- 
tiveness in  man  for  a further  knowledge  of  himself, 
and  his  connection  with  the  races  of  men  ; and  inspire 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


351 


him  with  as  healthy  a desire  for  investigation  as  ever 
possessed  the  brain  of  a Darwin. 

For  a distance  of  about  seventy-five  miles  toward 
the  Little  Colorado  which  traverses  Arizona  in  the 
northeast,  there  seems  to  be  a country  that  will  vie 
with  any  on  the  Pacific  coast  for  attention  from  the 
farmer.  It  is  along  and  through  a series  of  valleys 
sloping  from  the  many  mountains  of  eastern  Arizona 
and  extending  into  New  Mexico.  These  mountains 
extend  in  a north  and  southeasterly  direction  nearly  the 
whole  length  of  the  State;  and  from  my  experience  in 
the  actual  distance  traveled,  and  from  reports  from 
pioneers  and  frontiersmen,  I would  conclude  that  the 
same  favorable  conditions  characterized  them  through- 
out. 

Cooling  streams  and  shady  rills  where  many  a lively 
plumed  Indian  spears  his  Dolly  Varden  trout,  beneath 
an  inviting  cluster  of  foliage  or  a hanging  wall  of  rock, 
makes  up  the  panorama.  The  country  is  dotted  here 
and  there,  with  numerous  small  valleys  which  form  a 
charming  contrast  to  the  “deserts”  of  the  western 
portion  of  the  Territory.  In  riding  along  these  natu- 
ral garden  spots,  my  mind  was  more  than  once  taken 
back  to  the  time  when  California  herself  was  dead  to 
the  world,  and  when  some  were  wont  to  discourage  all 
her  claims  to  merits  and  virtues,  by  a reference  to  the 
great  deserts  of  the  West.  To  our  great  trans-conti- 


352 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


nental  railroads  it  was  said,  u Oh ! you  can’t  make  it 
pay  to  build  such  a road  to  the  coast,  even  if  the  State 
is  all  you  claim  for  it;  for  look  at  the  deserts  you  have 
to  go  through  to  get  there.  Good  for  nothing;  worth 
nothing.”  The  trouble  to  acquire,  they  thought, 
though  the  thing  be  good  in  itself,  would  not  be  worth 
the  thing  acquired.  I claim  that  the  valleys  of  just 
the  San  Francisco  mountains,  and  those  combined  in 
the  eastern  third  of  the  Territory  would  alone  warrant 
the  building  of  a railroad.  It  must  come.  And  it 
will  come  shortly.  Such  articles  as  the  one  below, 
clipped  from  a periodical,  seems  to  strengthen  my  as- 
sertions. 

“ A band  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  arrived  here 
yesterday  from  Boston  and  took  the  first  train  by  the 
Pennsylvania  Central  road  on  their  way  to  Arizona, 
At  the  base  of  the  San  Francisco  Mountains  they  intend 
to  establish  a colon}'.  Each  man  takes  provisions  for 
ninety  days,  and  his  personal  outfit  of  tools  and  clothing 
to  a total  prescribed  weight  of  three  hundred  pounds, 
transportation  for  which  and  for  himself  to  the  end  of 
the  long  journey  is  furnished  by  the  Arizona  Coloni- 
zation Company — a Boston  concern — at  a cost  of  $140 
per  man.  At  the  end  of  the  railroad  the  colonists  are 
to  be  joined  by  the  company’s  engineer,  Mr.  G.  B. 
Maynadier,  who  went  ahead  about  a week  ago  to  pro- 
vide transportation  from  that  point  Mr.  Maynadier 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


353 


was  the  chief  engineer  of  Henry  Meigg’s  Andes  rail- 
road in  Peru,  and  is  said  to  be  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  Arizona. 

“ The  part  of  the  country  in  which  the  proposed 
settlement  is  to  be  made  is  said  to  be  very  rich  in  the 
precious  metals  and  at  the  same  time  very  advanta- 
geous for  agriculturists.  A company  is  forming  in 
San  Francisco  with  a capital  of  $10,000,000,  to  work 
located  mining  claims  on  the  west  side  of  the  moun- 
tain to  which  these  colonists  are  going.  Within  about 
thirty  days  at  least,  eighty  more  men  with  the  families 
of  some  of  those  who  have  already  gone  will  go  from 
Boston  to  join  this  New  England  Colony,  whose  or- 
ganization was  begun  in  August  last  by  a company 
of  which  Judge  O.  W.  Cozzens  is  President,  J.  M. 
Piper,  Secretary,  and  S.  C.  Hunt,  Treasurer.” 

There  is  a gap  between  the  western  boundary  of 
Kansas  and  the  Colorado  River,  east  and  west  and 
from  the  41°  of  latitude  down  to  the  border  of  Mex- 
ico that  the  whole  country  should  lend  its  aid  to  open 
up  and  bring  before  the  people — not  only  of  this  coun- 
try, but  of  those  where  their  subjects  are'  more  op- 
pressed. The  land,  in  its  very  fatness,  is  gasping  for 
an  outlet , while  the  people  are  crying  for  an  inlet.  I 
have  noticed  that  some  of  our  greatest  agricultural 
belts  extend  in  an  indirect  line  from  northeast  to  south- 
west. Run  from  the  middle  of  the  State  of  Kansas, 


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PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


across  Iowa  up  into  northern  Illinois  and  Wisconsin 
and  see  this  theory  verified.  Strike  out  from  the  Gulf 
of  California  at  Guy  mas,  run  northeast  through  eastern 
Arizona  and  New  Mexico,  up  through  Colorado,  and 
northeast  to  the  Black  Hills,  and  you  have  as  com- 
plete a system  of  rich  agricultural  and  mineral  lands 
most  harmoniously  alternated  together  as  exists  within 
the  country’s  domain.  Give  the  people  the  railroads 
which  rightly  belong  to  them. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


MY  DEPARTURE  FROM  TUCSON— ADMONITIONS— THE  JEHUS  OF 
THE  PLAIN — BEN  HILL— MIND  AND  MATTER— A TALE  OF 
LOVE  AND  WOE — ALL  FOR  GOLD— THE  HIGHWAYMAN. 


IT  was  on  the  afternoon  of  tlie  22nd  of  December, 
’77  when  I returned  to  the  metropolis  of  Tucson  on 
“the. home  stretch.”  I had  left  the  camp  of  the  Az- 
tec company  the  day  before  with  Col.  Graham,  and  was 
now  waiting  for  the  departure  of  the  2 o’clock  stage 
for  Yuma  on  my  return.  The  objects  of  my  trip  had 
been  accomplished,  and  my  note  book  being  replete 
with  Arizona  lore,  the  activity  with  which  my  mind 
reverted  to  home  and  friends  was  an  amazing  contrast 
to  my  four  months  travel  over  mountain  and  desert. 
As  I would  close  my  eyes  at  dusk,  visions  of  the  home 
circle,  of  nephews  and  nieces  crowding  upon  my  knees 
with  eyes  sparkling  with  the  fire  of  animation,  eager 
to  know  of  those  “awful  Indians”  and  those  “great 
big”  robbers  “out  there,”  would  soften  the  sterner 
realities  of  life,  and  make  the  heart  bow  to  the  more 


356 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


tender  affections.  These  contrasts,  I say,  were  very 
forcible.  In  the  mining  camp  on  these  occasions  I 
evinced  some  restless  anxiety ; and  through  the  cour- 
tesy and  generosity  of  Col.  Boyle  and  Col.  Graham  I 
was  escorted  to  Tucson  where  I was  to  await  the  next 
stage  for  California. 

The  afternoon  came,  and  2 o’clock  P.  M.  saw  me 
seated  on  the  top  of  the  stage  coach  beside  the  driver. 
There  was  only  one  other  passenger — a soldier  from 
one  of  the  forts.  The  street  had  many  spectators  to 
our  departure.  Very  few  know,  except  those  ac- 
quainted with  such  cases  and  scenes,  of  the  interest 
attached  to  the  arrival  and  departure  of  the  overland 
stage  in  a frontier  town.  All  ready,  the  mail  and  ex- 
press matter  deposited,  a crack  of  the  whip,  and  we 
drove  off.  As  we  did  so,  admonitions  came  thick  and 
fast,  not  to  be  scalped  by  the  Apache  nor  taken  alive 
by  the  highwayman.  I had  often  had  such  admoni- 
tions given  me  before — in  Mexico,  and  Central  Amer- 
ica they  are  the  common  warning  to  every  traveler — 
but  at  this  time  they  came  with  a peculiar  grating  on 
my  ear.  However,  I accounted  for  this  by  the  strange 
desert  dreariness  I had  imbibed  on  several  occasions 
during  my  tour,  and  by  the  knowledge  that  our  way 
lay  in  part  through  the  Apache  country.  The  start 
was  a cheerful  one. 

The  next  thing  in  turn  was  to  find  out  what  kind 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


357 


of  a fellow  my  driver  was,  and  to  anticipate  the  asso- 
ciations of  the  night. 

It  would  be  a thankless  task  for  me,  or  any  one,  to 
attempt  to  explain  liow  one  should  go  to  work  to  find 
out  what  the  Jehus  of  our  western  frontier  coaches 
are.  They  are  as  varied  as  the  minds  and  tempers  of 
men  ; and  one  tiling  I might  here  pertinently  put  for 
the  guidance  and  safety  of  all  travelers  with  these 
sturdy  guides  of  the  plains  and  mountains.  Be  care- 
ful how  you  set  about  to  do  it;  or  else  in  trying  to 
find  them  out,  they  will  beat  you  two  to  one,  and 
fathom  you  deeper  than  your  own  knowledge  runs. 
They  are  natural  phrenologists  or  physiognomists. 
Nor  how,  nor  where,  they  know  not ; but,  as  one  con- 
fidently said  to  me  on  one  occasion,  “ We  know  a man 
as  soon  as  we  lay  our  eyes  on  ’im.”  1 found  my  com- 

panion on  this  occasion,  as  a Jehu,  an  old  and  experi- 
enced one;  but  as  a man,  in  the  very  vigor  of  life. 
His  acknowledged  cool  and  resolute  character  in  all 
cases  of  emergency,  suggested  in  itself,  a safe-guard,  if 
not  absolute  protection,  and  I at  once  set  about  to  get 
his  consent  to  ride  outside  all  night. 

Now ! Hill,”  said  I,  (Hill,  was  the  name  of  the 
driver)  “ Tell  me  what  you  know  of  this  vast  country, 
through  which  you  have  been  traveling  night  and  day, 
for  years,  as  they  tell  me.” 

We  had  ridden  along  some  distance  and  had,  from 


358 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


the  first,  according  to  my  recollections,  and  according 
to  Hill’s  own  words,  found  in  each  other  congenial 

companions. 

“ Tell  us  of  some  incidents  or  experiences  of  your 
life  on  the  plains  ” continued  L 

The  trip  I was  now  entering  out  upon,  being  to  take 
me  away  from  my  fields  of  labor  and  observation,  my 
mind  naturally  threw  off  a certain  load.  It  felt  a re- 
lief from  the  sterner  objects  of  my  travels,  and  partici- 
pated more  of  the  beaux  esprit  of  a careless  tourist 

Sitting  on  the  top  of  the  coach,  as  it  jogged  along  in 
the  cool  of  the  approaching  evening.  I could  now  see 
a beauty  in  the  vast  stretching  prairie  and  desert, 
where  before  it  had  been  an  uninviting  trackless  waste. 
Mind  had  assumed  a new  relation  to  matter.  I was 
verifying,  it  seemed,  how  the  spirit  matter  made  a ma- 
terial thing  what  it  is.  A tree  is  a tree , thought  I, 
and  vet  what  two  entirely  different  things  are,  a willow 
which  hangs  over  a mother’s  grave,  and  the  willow 
that  shades  the  happy  angler,  as  he  sits  under  its 
branches  bv  some  cooling  stream  in  the  joys  of  recrea- 
tion, plaving  with  his  cunning  trout  Is  there  not  as 
much  difference  between  these  two  trees,  as  between 
incense  and  gall  ? 

“Well,”  said  Hill,  “I  suppose  you  want  to  hear 
about  scalping  scenes,  highway  robberies,  or  some 
blood  and  thunder  affair.  I never  met  a traveler  }ret 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


359 


who  did  not  want  something  of  this  sort  told  to  him. 
For  my  part,  I’ve  got  tired  telling  ’em.  Bat”  ejacu- 
lated he,  as  if  he  had  seized  some  happy  thought,  and 
then,  almost  as  suddenly,  dropped  his  cliin  on  his 
breast  and  was  silent  for  a moment.  “ Do  you  know  ” 
said  he,  finally,  “ what  I have  named  this  country?  ” 
“ Give  it  up,  Hill ! ” said  I. 

“Well,”  said  he,  looking  at  me  sagaciously,  “ I call 
it  the  country  of  disappointed  lovers 

“ Disappointed  lovers,  ” quoted  I ; and  then  laughed 
heartily.  “ Why  whatever  put  that  in  your  head  ? ” 
“ Yes,  Sir ! £ that’s  what’s  the  matter.’  Disappointed 
lovers ! Why ! every  other  man  you  meet  here  has 
some  story  of  this  kind  to  tell  you.” 

“ I say  Hill,”  said  I,  with  an  insinuating  grin  on  my 
face,  “ and  are  you  one  of  these  ‘ every  other  ’ men  ? ” 
Hill  has  not  to  this  day,  answered  my  questions. 

I am  reminded  here  of  an  interview  I had  with 
another  of  these  frontiersmen,  in  the  early  part  of  iny 
travels  in  this  land,  that  somewhat  borders  upon  this 
subject,  and  further  exemplifies  this  theory  of  Mr. 
Hill’s.  We  were  riding  out  upon  the  plain  and  in  re- 
ferring to  the  grotesqueness  of  the  houses,  the  follow- 
ing comparisons  took  place: 

“ You  have  noticed  all  through  your  travels,  haven’t 
you,  my  friend?”  intervened  Joseph  (that  was  the 
name  on  the  occasion)  with  an  air  of  having  started 


360 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


with  some  terribly  convincing  evidence.  “You  have 
noticed  how  some  of  the  old,  broken  down,  dilapidated 
mud  houses  throughout  this  whole  land  have  a sort 
of  reviving  spirit  about  them.  They  will  have  some 
vines  nicely  trimmed  up  against  the  side  of  the  walls, 
or  some  tasty  little  curtain  hung  by  one  of  the  little 
holes  they  call  windows  in  this  country;  or  a few 
streaks  of  paint  daubed  in  some  conspicuous  place  on 
the  outside  of  the  building,  dashed  on  in  some  original 
style  of  art,  something  after  the  Indian  fashion  of 
painting.” 

“Yes!  I have,”  I answered. 

“Well!  Do  you  know  what  they  remind  me  of? 
They  remind  me  of  some  of  these  old  bachelor  codgers 
— these  cock-a-d oodles — who  wanting  in  their  old  age, 
some  congenial  spirit  (a  wife,  I mean),  put  on  them- 
selves all  the  trimmings  mortal  man  can  conceive  of — 
yellow  neckties,  kid  gloves,  have  their  hair  cut  twice 
a week  and  properly  greased — or  rather  improperly 
so,  as  it  would  soil  any  silk  dress  it  chanced  to  come 
in  contact  with ; who,  with  one  hand  in  his  pocket 
jingling  his  gold,  and  in  the  other,  a bunch  of  roses, 
he  seeks  and  marries  a girl  not  yet  out  of  her  teens. 
A sweet  sixteen  as  he  would  call  her.” 

“Well  ! isn’t  that  all  right  enougli  ? ” I enquired. 

“Yes,  of  course  it  is,”  said  my  companion.  “Of 
course  it  is,  even  if  Cupid  goes  back  on  him;  for 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


361 


when  a man  has  outlived  what  little  sense  and  reason 
he  ever  had,  and  has  never  been  able  to  find  a sensi- 
ble girl  that  would  have  him,  I suppose  it  is  all  right 
enough  for  him  to  start  out  and  allure  some  young 
and  inexperienced  gill,  before  she  is  old  enough  to 
know  her  own  mind  or  realize  the  dangers  of  the  step 
she  is  about  to  take.” 

“ But  I don’t  see  what  bearing  this  has  upon  the 
houses,  or  the  disappointed  lovers,”  said  I. 

“No!  but  some  of  these  odd  and  ridiculously  fes- 
tooned houses  remind  me  of  these  ridiculously  be- 
decked human  structures.  As  for  the  disappointed 
lovers,  why  they  are  the  ones  that  get  out  and  come 
here;  for  if  the  young  girl  has  some  one  that  she 
likes,  you  know,  why  the  old  fellow  tells  her  either 
that  she  is  too  young  to  have  company  as  young  as  he 
is;  or  else  she  must  drop  him,  or  chuck  him  over- 
board on  some  dark  night,  and  that  he  has  got  money 
enough  to  heal  her  sorrows  and  hide  crimes  alike.” 

Another  case  still  had  I pointed  out  to  me  which 
would  seem  to  defend  both  of  these  gentlemen  in  their 
theories  and  surmises.  I was  shown  in  the  extreme 
southern  part  of  the  Territory,  a certain  crude  log  hut, 
in  which  dwelt  a man  of  some  fifty  years.  We  were 
passing  through  the  canyon  in  which  it  was  crested 
cosily  on  the  borders  of  a clear  mountain  stream,  and 
beneath  the  brow  of  picturesque  hills.  It  was  covered 


362 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


with  moss  and  creeping  vines  seeming  jealous  to  pro- 
tect their  inmate’s  happiness.  The  story  of  this  old 
man,  as  told  me  by  the  driver  of  the  coach  was,  that* 
while  quite  young,  this  “party”  had  under  very  pe- 
culiar circumstances  and  of  necessity  been  placed' in 
absolute  charge  of  a young  lady  whom  he  thoroughly 
loved.  As  jealously  and  sturdily  had  he  guarded  and 
protected  his  charge,  as  he  would  his  own  life,  or  as 
only  a person  who  honestly,  nobly,  and  unselfishly 
loved,  could  have  done.  The  girl  was  placed  under 
the  man’s  protection  by  her  parents ; but  a rich  uncle, 
under  whose  charge  the  girl  afterwards  was  put,  be- 
came so  morbidly  jealous  of  the  good  character  the 
young  man  was  known  to  possess,  forbade  the  girl 
from  recognizing  him  at  all.  The  girl  had  learned  so 
thoroughly  to  look  up  to  and  respect  her  companion, 
that  she  nobly  refused  to  obey  her  uncle’s  commands. 
Seeking  to  accomplish  his  end,  to  his  commands  he 
afterwards  added  offers  of  large  amounts  of  gold.  Be- 
ing thus  tormented  by  her  uncle,  the  girl  sought  refuge 
with  her  parents,  who  had  recognized  the  great  services 
rendered  by  the  young  man,  and  from  whom  she  ex- 
pected defense  in  favor  of  he  who  had  been  her  chosen 
companion.  But  the  parents  being  also  swayed  and 
influenced  by  the  uncle’s  gold,  and  what  they  conceived 
to  be  their  daughter’s  interest  (short-sighted  interest), 
the  same  dire  case  of  “all  for  gold  ” was  enacted  over 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


363 


again  ; for  the  girl  afterwards  married  against  her  will, 
and  died  a poor  drunkard’s  broken-hearted  wife.  The 
man  it  is  said  became  temporarily  deranged,  but  finally 
retired  to  the  land  of  the  Apache,  remarking,  as  it  is 
said  he  often  does,  to  this  day,  that  the  land  of  the 
savage  is  preferable  to  a society  which  buys  and  sells 
honest  virtue  with  gold. 

Darkness  finally  overcame  the  land,  and  at  six 
o’clock,  we  arrived  at  Desert  station.  This  meant 
“supper.”  Supper  taken,  and  horses  changed,  we 
mounted  our  box  seat,  and,  tucking  our  robes  about 
us  (for  the  nights  were  getting  just  a little  chilly)  we 
were  off  again.  W e had  tucked  ourselves  in  as  snugly 

as  those  children  did  for  a “ long  winter’s  nap  ” on  a 
famous  Christmas  eve,  although  we  did  not  expect  to 
nap  much  on  this  occasion.  Darkness  was  well  spread 
over  the  earth.  The  moon  had  not  yet  risen,  but  the 
stars  shone  forth  in  all  their  brilliancy  ; and  by  the  aid 
of  the  limpid  atmosphere,  lent  an  interesting  vision  to 
the  unaccustomed  scenes  about  us.  Before  us,  behind 
us  ; to  the  right  of  us,  and  to  the  left  of  us,  stretched 
the  boundless  desert,  sprinkled  here  and  there  with 
small  clumps  of  grease  wood  and  bunch  grass,  and 
boarded  in  the  distance  by  a gray  outline  of  the  inter- 
minable mountains  of  Arizona.  Not  a sound  was 
heard  save  the  smothered  tread  of  our  animals  in  the 
sand — except  our  own  voices,  which  would  seem  to 


364 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


have  a ring  and  re-echo  in  the  dreary  stillness.  Never 
did  my  own  voice  attract  my  notice  so  much.  As  we 
looked  into  open  space  we  would  sometimes  be  inter- 
ested with  the  phenomenal  light  peculiar  to  Arizona, 
which  would  break  the  monotony  of  our  long  and 
tedious  ride.  On  these  occasions  we  would  watch  the 
slight  flickering  of  light  pass  through  the  atmosphere. 
These  wave-like  effect*?  were  very  slight  and  pale,  re- 
sembling, somewhat,  the  “milky  way,”  but  seeming  to  be 
between  you  and  the  sky — not  in  the  sky.  They  were 
often  so  pale  that  one  might  suppose  it  was  some  effect 
of  the  vision,  passing,  as  they  did,  before  you  in  a thin 
gauze  or  mist  I defined  it  to  be  some  effect  of  the 
heat  of  the  desert  upon  the  cooler  atmosphere  of  the 
evening. 

Thus  we  rode  along,  not  a leaf  stirring  and  not  a 
sound  audible  save  the  martial  tread  of  our  dumb 
beasts.  What  a contrast  again,  to  our  lively  after- 
noon’s conversation.  The  gentle  jolt  of  the  vehicle 
had  cradled  me  into  a dreamy  mood.  We  had  not 
spoken  for  some  minutes,  when  suddenly:  “Halt!” 
thundered  upon  our  ears,  accompanied  with  vocifer- 
ous oaths  and  calumnies.  The  echo  had  scarcely  died 
away  when,  “ Hold  up  your  hands!  ” “ Throw  down 

your  arms!”  followed  the  imperative  “Halt!”  in 
quick  succession.  All  was  done  in  less  time  than  it 
takes  to  tell  it  Our  blood  rushed  to  our  faces.  We 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


365 


were  over-awed  by  fright,  and  baffled  by  surprise. 
Like  one  aroused  from  his  slumber,  we  were  for  a mo- 
ment lost  to  all  senses,  and  did  not  know  our  bearings. 
In  front  of  us  stood  two  men — one  with  a rifle  and  the 
other  with  a large  revolver — levelled  directly  at  us. 
The  horses  had  undergone  some  emotion,  and  had  now 
quieted  in  a tangled  harness.  We  had  no  sooner 
realized  our  position  than  : “ Hold  up  your  hands ! ” 
thundered  forth  with  increased  force. 

We  now  thoroughly  comprehended  our  situation. 
We  were  in  the  hands  of  the  higlnvayman — perhaps 
of  the  assassin. 


CHAPTER  XXYII 


SPIRITS  OF  THE  DESERT — THE  AUTHOR  ROBBED — PENNILESS — 
THE  MEETING  OF  M’MILLEN  AND  FLOURNOY — THE  PROVER- 
BIAL SYMPATHY  OF  THE  PIONEER. 

E have  said  the  men  were  there.  How  they 


came  there  in  the  position  we  now  beheld  them 
we  could  not  tell.  Like  spirits  of  the  deep  springing 
up  from  the  bowels  of  the  earth  by  some  invisible  trap- 
door, or  dropped  down  from  the  heavens.  They  were 
simply  there  and  that  is  all  we  knew — and  enough. 
A very  few  moments  elapsed  between  our  seeing 
them  and  the  commencement  of  the  excitement  which 
was  to  be  the  terror  of  our  midnight  ride.  But  in  this 
moment  a volume  of  horrible  visions  ran  through  my 
mind,  the  most  terrible  of  which  was  that  we  were  now 
in  the  hands  of  the  highwaymen  positively  and  se- 
curely, and  barred  out  from  all  the  world  by  a collosal 
wall  of  dreary  mountains,  upon  a wide  stretch  of  an 
arid,  fruitless,  uninviting  desert. 

I sat  on  the  left  of  the  driver.  To  the  left  of  the 
horses’  heads  and  facing  us,  stood  a goodly  specimen 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


369 


of  physical  man  with  a large  revolver  levelled  at  our 
heads.  It  was  about  the  size,  I should  judge,  of  those 
used  by  the  “Horse  Marines.”  To  the  left  of  the 
stage,  on  a range  with  me,  was  another  “ six-footer  ” 
with  a hat,  which,  had  it  been  mid-day,  I would  sup- 
pose was  used  to  keep  the  sun  off  him,  spreading  out 
on  all  sides,  and  slouched  down  over  his  face.  He 
held  in  his  hands,  and  levelled  at  my  breast  a rifle. 
In  the  next  moment,  what  a volume,  what  a life  of 
thought  intervened!  In  the  very  stillness  of  the  des- 
ert there  was  noise ; your  very  soul  talked  aloud  to 
you  ; and  as  for  spirits — why,  the  whole  world  seemed 
to  be  composed  of  them.  And  then,  breaking  the 
silence,  came  the  demand  for  “ your  money,  or  your 
life ! ” and  the  voices  of  these  men  seemed  to  echo 
from  mountain  to  mountain.  1 was  ordered  to  get 
down  from  the  coach  and  stand  before  them  ; while 
the  soldier  inside  was  ordered  “to  the  front”  to  hold 
the  horses’  heads.  Being  a soldier,  and  one  of  his  es- 
sential duties  being  to  “obey!”  he  was  constrained, 
in  his  good  judgment,  to  do  so.  Noblv  did  he  per- 
form his  duty  in  this  instance.  Now,  I had  never 
been  a soldier  ; yet,  I obej'ed  orders  in  this. case  quite 
as  well  as  he  did.  However,  it  was  perhaps  the  stern 
force  of  “ duty  ” that  actuated  him  to  obey,  whereas 
mine  was  by  force  of  persuasion.  A rifle  at  your 
head  and  a six-shooter  at  your  breast  are  terrible  per- 


370 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


suaders.  I was  thwarted,  however,  in  my  willingness 
to  obey,  by  the  “tucking  in”  that  was  done  when 
leaving  Desert  station ; and  when  I came  to  unloose 
myself  from  under  the  lap  robe,  it  was  obstinate,  and 
I remembered  that  the  buckle  of  the  strap  which  held 
the  robe  to  the  seat  was  broken  and  I had  tied  the 
ends-together  strongly  and  securely.  This  called  forth 
execrations  from  the  robbers. 

“Why  the  d 1 don’t  you  get  down  off  that 

coach  ? ” 

“ Gentlemen,  said  I,  (which  of  course  cut  the  grain 
acutely,  but  I swallowed  it,  and  repeated)  “Gentle- 
men, don’t  shoot ! and  if  you  will  allow  me  I will 
explain ” 

“Hold  up  your  hands!”  interrupted  one,  with 
which  command  both  Hill  and  I readily  complied. 
And  when  once  in  this  position  again,  I was  instructed 

to  explain  “what  the  d 1”  I was  doing.  And 

inquired  of  whether  I had  “any  arms  ” at  my  side. 
Upon  answering  in  the  negative,  I was  allowed  to  pro- 
ceed, and  after  extricating  myself  was  ordered  to  “get 
down  off’  of  there.” 

Of  course  I complied.  Once  down,  the  following 
dialogue  ensued : 

Ilighioayman — “Who  are  you?  What’s  your 
name?  ” 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


371 


Having  told  him,  and  after  a silence  of  a moment, 
he  replied  : 

“ Well ! I’ll  take  your  money,  and  be  quick  about  it 
or  I’ll  blow  your  brains  out.” 

I complied  again ; and  at  this  instant,  and  while 
turning  my  possessions  over  to  them,  a “click”  from 
the  “ Horse-Marine”  pistol  broke  the  silence  of  the 
desert.  Bat  fortunately  it  broke  nothing  else.  It  was 
either  “miss-fire”  or  the  thing  was  done  for  effect — 
which,  I am  unable  to  say. . At  each  interval  the  si- 
lence seemed  to  increase. 

Our  positions  were  now  as  follows  : — The  soldier  at 
the  horses’  heads  to  prevent  them  from  running  ; the 
driver  standing  up  on  the  coach,  and  I on  the  sandy 
ground  at  the  left  side  of  the  coach.  Still  further  to 
my  left  stood  one  of  my  molesters  with  his  rifle  ; and 
in  such  a range  that  by  simply  elevating  or  lowering 
his  piece  either  the  driver  or  myself  could  be  cleared  of 
all  responsibility  in  this  life  without  it  costing  us  one 
cent.  In  front  of  me  and  up  at  the  side  of  the  horses’ 
heads  where  stood  our  soldier,  was  our  other  facetious 
friend,  with  his  six-shooter  still  pointed  at  my  breast. 
We  had  all  been  ordered  to  put  our  hands  above  our 
heads  ; and  there  we  were,  as  if  practising  calisthenics, 
and  waiting  for  further  drill.  This  is  the  common 
mode  of  the  highwayman  on  our  frontier,  of  securing 
your  submission.  With  hands  up,  you  can  of  course 


372 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


make  no  resistance;  and  if  you  take  them  down,  nine 
to  one,  you  will  at  the  same  instant  be  pierced  with  a 
bullet.  No  wiping  of  noses  now,  nor  drying  tears. 

The  first  order  given  to  the  driver  was  to  “Pass  down 
Wells,  Fargo  & Co.’s  express  box!’’  The  driver 
stooped,  picked  the  box  from  beneath  the  seat,  and 
threw  it  from  the  coach.  It  landed  with  all  its  treas- 
ures, upon  the  sand  directly  in  front  of  me  with  a 
heavy  thump,  which  made  my  frame  shudder  and  my 
veins  contract  like  a headless  chicken  in  its  last  death 
struggle.  Each  hair  on  my  head  was  a porcupine 
quill.  The  next  order  was  for  the  “ United  States 
mail  sacks.”  These  the  driver  also  tossed  upon  the 
ground.  There  were  three  in  number.  They  then  or- 
dered out  some  pouches  of  quicksilver,  which  were  in 
the  bottom  of  the  stage;  which  demand  the  driver 
also  complied  with.  This  over,  and  fearing  their 
booty  would  not  reach  their  desires,  they  made  a slight 
change  of  venue,  and  placing  me  in  front  of  the  treasure 
heap,  demanded  to  know  again  who  I was,  and  all 
about  me.  Having  told  them,  there  was  a reign  of 
silence  — a terrible  reign  of  about  thirty  seconds. 
Imaginations  concerning  this  silence  ran  through  my 
mind  as  rapidly  as  the  reflections  and  thoughts  of  a 
drowning  man  is  supposed  to  crowd  themselves  upon 
him;  and  as  rapidly  did  I come  to  the  conclusion  that 
it  must  be  they  were  disappointed  in  their  man.  They 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


373 


had  expected  some  one  else  on  this  stage  in  my  place. 
They  then  made  a second  demand,  however,  for  all  my 
papers,  and  any  other  “matters”  I had  about  me,  all  of 
which  I cheerfully  relinquished.  Had  they  known  I 
was  but  a poor  newspaper  man,  and,  as  they  soon 
found  out,  all  they  were  to  get  for  their  trouble  was 
fifteen  dollars,  it  seems  to  me  they  might  have  saved 
a good  deal  of  valuable  time  and — “ let  me  alone.” 

It  was  worth  the  amount,  however,  to  get  an  excuse 
to  take  down  my  arms,  which  all  this  time  had  been 
held  above  my  head  in  an  upright  position.  This  was 
an  uncomfortable  one,  to  say  the  least ; and  all  the 
more  so,  as  I stretched  them  high  and  straight  to 
evince  to  these  “ spirits  of  the  desert,”  my  disposition 
to  obey  orders.  Having  secured  my  money,  and  evi- 
dently taking  it  for  granted  that  the  driver  and  the 
soldier  had  none  (or  being  now  satisfied  with  what  they 
had  obtained)  we  were  told  to  resume  our  places  on  the 
coach.  Having  done  so,  the  fire-arms  being  kept 
steadily  upon  us  the  while,  we  were  ordered  to  drive 
off ; and  as  we  did  so,  the  two  men  cried  out  alter- 
nately, “ Good  night ! ” “ Good-night ! ” 

I have  been  aroused  by  sudden  changes  ; I have 
enjoyed  the  ecstatic  effect  of  contrast;  but  never  had 
any  experience  so  forcibly  struck  upon  such  opposite 
sentiments  in  my  nature  as  the  contrast  between  these 
soft  salutations  “ Good  night ! ” “ Good  night ! ” and  the 


374 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


terrible  “ halt”  only  a few  minutes  before.  The  form- 
er transactions  were  accompanied  with  sonorous  tones 
of  the  deepest  gutteral  effort,  and  re-echoing  ns  we  fan- 
cied, in  the  distant  mountains  around.  The  latter 
tones  were  uttered  in  the  gentlest  simplicity  and  even 
savored  of  mellowness.  It  had  such  a pleasing  and 
sooth ing  effect  upon  us  ns  to  almost  put  us  off  our 
guard  ; and  made  me  feel  like  turning  around  and  say- 
ing : “Oh!  you  won’t  hurt  us,  will  you?”  I inti- 
mated to  Hill,  that  if  we  should  ask  them  now  to  give 
the  things  back,  they  would  probably  do  so.  I say 
this  was  the  effect  their  “ good  night  ” produced  upon 
me.  But  a moment’s  reflecting  and  a slight  remons- 
trance from  Hill,  convinced  me  that  I was  permitting 
my  better  judgment  to  be  swayed  by  their  blandness, 
and  apparent  civility.  A little  consideration  brought 
me  to  my  senses  and  I was  amazed  at  my  own  credu- 
lity, as  the  result  of  their  words. 

This  whole  affair  was  performed  so  quickly — began 
and  ended  so  suddenly — was  such  a succession  of  sur- 
prises, that  it  was  not  until  after  all  was  over  and  we 
had  resumed  our  journey  that  we  thoroughly  realized 
that  anything  had  actually  occurred.  Now  was  the 
“winter  of  our  discontent.”  As  the  horses  began  to 
trot  off  at  a faster  pace,  Hill  and  I began  to  shake  in 
our  seats.  We  repeatedly  looked  around  and  won- 
dered if  they  were  coming  after  us.  How  often  did 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


375 


A 


we  inquire  of  each  other  if  we  saw  “ anything  of  them?” 
We  suffered  more  in  the  following  few  miles  from  an 
anticipation  of  a renewal  of  the  attack  than  we  did 
from  the  whole  genuine  affair.  There  was  something 
so  weird  in  our  ride  now.  Every  bush,  we  approached  ; 
every  cactus  we  saw,  seemed  to  be  possessed  with  life. 
When  we  stopped  talking,  the  stillness  increased.  It 
increased  until  it  actually  became  noisy ; for  the  spir- 
itual man  then  kept  up  a clatter  with  the  mortal  man, 
and  talked  to  us  of  things  we  never  knew  (or  those 
that  we  had  once  known  but  wanted  to  forget),  and  in 
some  respects  annoyed  us  with  its  clatter.  If  one 
wants  to  get  an  idea  of  what  a perfect  quiet  is,  it  seems 
to  me  he  must  go  to  Arizona  to  do  it.  These  deserts, 
with  nothing  inviting,  devoid  of  any  noisy  insects,  or 
creatures  whatever  (except  the  coyote  whose  occasional 
distant  whine  or  howl  only  contrasts  with  the  stillness 
to  make  it  greater),  are  suggestive  places  for  intense — 
for  penetrative  meditation. 

“ Well ! Now  then ! ” said  Hill  shortly  afterward,  as 
he  spurred  up  his  horses,  “now  you’ve  had  it.  Now 
you’ve  had  your  robber  story  better  than  I could  have 
told  you  one,  and  I hope  you’re  satisfied.” 

I did  feel  quite  satisfied,  and  I wanted  to  know  of 
Hill,  whether  this  was  the  kind  of  sociable  (?)  Arizona 
tendered  to  strangers. 

“ Sociable  ! ” quoted  Hill.  “ That’s  pretty  good.” 


376 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


“Yes!”  rejoined  I,  “They  are  what  I would  term 
midnight  sociables  of  the  deserts.” 

Thus  we  rode  along  leaving,  these  “ spirits  of  the 
desert,”  we  hoped,  far  behind.  It  was  about  7 o’clock 
in  the  evening  when  our  robbery  took  place.  It  was 
just  before  the  time  for  the  moon  to  rise,  and  the  at- 
mosphere wore  that  peculiar  haze  suggested  by  the 
old  proverb  “ ’Tis  darkest  just  before  dawn.” 

Hill,  who  was  an  old  pioneer  in  the  stage  business 
of  our  west,  had  many  experiences  (either  personal  or 
otherwise),  to  relate  of  the  highways  and  the  red  man. 
I had  one  myself,  having  suffered  a like  engagement 
once  before.  Between  us  both,  we  consequently  lis- 
tened to  many  hair-breadth  escapes  and  midnight  rev- 
elries. We  must  have  been  intuitively  prepared  for 
this  one  from  the  systematic  manner  in  which  we 
went  through  the  drill.  At  the  very  instant  of  the 
word  “Halt!”  and  before  we  had  been  ordered  to 
“ Hold  up  your  hands  ! ” which  is  alwaj'S  the  next  com- 
mand, my  hands  went  up  high  over  my  head.  Misery 
liking  company,  I looked  to  my  right  with  one  eye  to 
see  how  it  fared  with  my  brother  Hill ; while  the  other 
I kept  on  my  desert  friends.  Hill  had  his  hands  up 
too.  In  short  we  wanted  to  get  through  with  the 
midnight  drama  as  quickly  as  possible.  I remember 
how  anxious  I was  to  get  back  on  my  box  after  I had 
been  robbed.  But  being  commanded  to  “ Halt ! ” with 


PICTURESQUE  ARLZONA. 


377 


at  the  same  time,  a click  from  the  six-shooter,  I al- 
layed my  impetuosity  somewhat,  and  seemed  to  feel 
willing  to  stand  there  all  night  rather  than  attempt  to 
get  back  to  my  seat  again  until  I had  been  ordered  to 
do  so.  I was  encouraged  all  the  way  through  by 
Hill’s  calm  and  politic  manner  in  dealing  with  the 
case  at  hand. 

This  little  narrative  will  give  a general  idea  of  the 
robberies  of  the  overland  stage  coaches  on  our  western 
highways.  Of  course,  depredations  are  governed  by 
no  law,  and  these  “ sociables  of  the  desert  ” are  gov- 
erned by  no  set  or  established  routine.  They  lake 
you  how  and  where  they  find  you  and  are  governed  in 
their  actions  accordingly.  Many  variations  there  are 
then,  to  this  system  of  aggression,  although  this  is  the 
average  modus  operandi.  In  a former  robbery  of  a 
coach  upon  which  I was  a passenger,  the  coach  was 
simply  stopped  by  two  men  running  out  from  behind 
a bush  ; and  one  grabbing  the  horses’  heads,  while  the 
other  stepped  to  the  side  of  the  coach  and  ordered  the 
driver  to  “ hand  down  Wells,  Fargo  & Co.’s  express 
box.”  The  driver  having  complied  with  the  request, 
he  wras  told  to  drive  on,  which  he  did;  and  the  stage 
and  its  load  drove  off,  and  on  to  its  destination  as 
though  nothing  had  happened — except  that  when  we 
arrived  there  the  box  containing  all  the  treasures  was 
not  with  us.  There  is  shooting  at  times,  and  often 


378 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


loss  of  life,  but  this  is  generally  the  result  of  disobe- 
dience to  their  commands  or  wishes;  and  if  ever  the 
reader  has  an  occasion  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  these 
“ spirits  of  the  desert,”  we  would  advise  him  to  simply 
accept  the  situation  with  a calm  and  quiet  grace,  and 
obey  as  you  had  been  taught  to  do  in  your  youth.  In 
nine  times  out  of  ten,  you  will  come  out  of  the  battle 
unscathed;  although  it  is  admitted  that  there  are  men 
bloodthirsty  enough  to  love  to  kill  for  the  glory  of  it, 
and  without  any  provocation. 

Some,  there  are,  who  may  not  understand  why  in- 
sistence is  not  the  better  part  of  valor,  and  not  oftener 
resorted  to  in  these  instances,  on  the  part  of  the  stage 
companies  or  the  passengers.  We  simply  say  to  those, 
that  to  attempt  to  explain,  would  be  a thankless  task, 
as  they  would  only  look  at  you  as  one  trying  to  ex- 
cuse your  own  cowardice,  and  vaunt  their  own  bravery 
at  you,  by  asserting  what  they  would  do  if  they  were 
“caught  that  way.”  Many  have  I had  talk  with  me 
in  this  way  while  attempting  to  satisfy  their  curiosity 
as  to  the  situation  in  such  cases,  and  the  conditions 
governing  it.  But  when  they  are  “caught”  them- 
selves, they  are  agravated  to  find,  in  turn,  that  a no 
better  portrayal  of  the  situation  can  be  found  in  them. 
The  safest  plan  is,  never  to  carry  but  a mere  paltry 
sum  of  money — enough  to  pay  your  way  from  point 
to  point,  where  you  can  replenish. 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


370 


We  reached  Florence  at  4 o’clock  in  the  mornimr. 

O 

It  was  on  this  occasion  that  I met  the  great  prospec- 
tors, Capt.  Chas.  McMillen  and  Josiah  Flournoy.  As  we 
were  about  to  leave  Florence,  two  men  approached  the 
stage  and  took  passage  on  it  for  Yuma.  Their  dress 
consisted  of  a pair  of  overalls,  sand  shoes,  a huge 
blanket  strapped  across  their  back,  a pair  of  large  six- 
shooters — one  at  each  hip  ; a bowie  knife  in  their  belt 
behind,  a rifle  strapped  across  their  back,  and  a big 
slouched  hat  ornamented  with  holes,  which  covered 
the  whole  structure  from  rain.  They  greeted  me  in 
true  frontier  style  wanting  to  know  if  I was  the  man 
who  had  been  robbed  out  on  the  desert — whether  I 
was  hurt  any,  and  whether  I had  any  money  left. 
When  I had  answered  their  questions,  and  informed 
them  that  all  my  money  had  been  taken,  each  put  his 
hand  in  his  pocket,  and  passed  carelessly  over  to  me  a 
twenty  dollar  gold  piece,  telling  me  they  guessed  that 
would  see  me  through  to  Yuma,  and  that  the  twenty 
dollars  would  be  as  good  to-  them  at  some  other  time. 
When  I offered  to  give  them  “ my  note,”  they  looked 
displeasure  that  human  nature  had  fallen  so  low,  that 
a piece  of  paper  was  worth  more  than  a man’s  honor, 
and  said  : “ a man’s  word  is  his  note  in  this  country,' 
my  friend.” 

I subsequently  learned  that  these  two  men  were 
McMillen  and  Flournoy,  and  were  then  on  their  way 


PICTURESQUE  ARIZONA. 


880 

to  San  Francisco  and  New  York  to  incorporate  the 
“ Hannibal  ” mine,  then  recently  discovered.  * * * 

A ride  of  three  days  and  nights  in  the  overland 
stage  coach  brought  me  back  to  Yuma.  In  passing 
Los  Angeles  on  my  way  north  to  San  Francisco, 
I was  reminded  of  the  attraction  the  orange  groves  of 
that  district  had  held  for  me,  and  of  the  famous  beach 
at  Santa  Monica,  only  fifteen  miles  to  the  sea  side.  I 
left  the  main  road  here  and  ran  down  to  Santa  Monica. 
Here,  after  a refreshing  sojourn  at  the  Santa  Monica 
Hotel,  and  a few  invigorating  surf  baths  in  the  Pacific 
Ocean  in  the  dead  of  winter,  I diversified  my  trip  by 
taking  one  of  the  magnificent  steamers  of  the  coast, 
for  San  Francisco. 


THE  END. 


rv, 


: 


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